


Worthless Pride

by HazelDenizen



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Anger Management, Awkward Conversations, Behind the Scenes, Comedy, Coming of Age, Emotional Baggage, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Oikawa Tooru is a Mess, Oikawa Tooru is a Tease, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slice of Life, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Teenage Awkwardness, Volleyball Dorks in Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:28:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 97,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26175715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelDenizen/pseuds/HazelDenizen
Summary: ~Her head was lowered, and her breath, short, “ I can’t.” Her voice was trembling...Oikawa ignored the cold cuffs around his wrists as he wrapped the muffler around her neck.“You’re going to catch a deadly cold.”He then removed her ice-cold hands gently, “Raise your head, Aien.”Her hands fell to her side, trembling a little. Yet she didn’t respond to his voice or rather, she couldn't.“Aien…”As she raised her head, A pang shot through Oikawa's heart.~Hey guys! I'm actually awful at descriptions but this is my attempt to introduce some mush to the constant mayhem and some semblance to their romantic lives as well. And it's not as angsty as it sounds lolContains Bokuaka scenes jus cuz they're cute.Tune in to find out more in a tale of how the motley crew matures and develops into a squad to be proud of.AKA That fanfic where Kageyama does NOT fall for his cousin.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Kindaichi Yuutarou/Kunimi Akira, Kyoutani Kentarou/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/Reader
Comments: 160
Kudos: 240





	1. Part of a New World

**Author's Note:**

> A/N  
> Hey denizens of the World! I’m excited and a little nervous to introduce my first fan fiction ever. I really hope y’all enjoy and vibe with Worthless Pride. (If you know you know). The story might start off a little slow, but I hope it’s interesting enough to keep everyone waiting for the rest. I’ve done my best to proof check, and research everything I’m writing, but in the chance that you do find errors, I’ll be happy to look into them. I’m also very aware of all the Haikyuu ships out there and I squeal with joy like every single one of y’all munchkins. But I’m also very aware of how many of us are simps for most of our Haikyuu boys and would do anything to be the MC in their lives...So that got me thinking of a little light hearted, slice of life take on it. This is just sorely how I felt Haikyuu would play out if it were a slice of life anime. This story isn’t meant to offend any of the already existing ships out there.
> 
> **All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All credits for the Haikyuu characters goes to the Haikyuu author. My additions will be very obvious to anyone who's seen or read Haikyuu!**
> 
> Anyway, I hope y’all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
> Lots of Love,  
> Hazel

The Mid-March sky in The Miyagi Prefecture of the Tohoku region was a gentle fusion of mild orange, with streaks of red weaving through, setting a nostalgic tone to the atmosphere. It wasn’t very late in the evening, yet the skies sang a different song. Aien stood outside the Kageyamas’ house and took in the scene that lay before her - A rather quaint house, with a garden that was well tended to, with no sign of any weeds at first glance. Purple Wisteria beautifully shrouded the house giving it an air of mystery as well as a cozy appearance. The Rooms on the first floor, had ivy curling across the walls, further adding to the mysterious aesthetic. The stony foot path that led to the front door had a volleyball lying on it- a worn out one that had by the looks of it, been thoroughly used.

It had been a while since she had come here, to this house. The last time, she’d been here, she’d been around eight and her memories from back then were a bit hazy as is with all of us. Time sure does leave everyone trying to put together shards of memory, frozen in time. From the foot-path, diverged another path that led to an open space. The open space stirred a memory in her mind.. _. I think Tobio-kun still plays doesn’t he… Papa had mentioned that he was good at it._

Aien stood on the pavement that led upto the front door fiddling with the good luck charm on her wrist, lost in her thoughts. The wind grew a little stronger, tugging at her ponytail. A few brown strands found its way out and swayed along with the gust.

“Aien!! I’m so sorry. I had to take that call”, Misaki came running up to her.

Aien was momentarily taken aback, having forgotten about her companion amidst this nostalgic setup. Misaki’s nose had turned pink with the cold wind that had been raging all day. Misaki was a friend, Aien had known ever since she had shifted to Nagoya with her father a few years ago. Misaki was currently helping her with her long journey to the Miyagi Prefecture where the Kageyamas lived.

Aien smiled, “I'm a littler nervous..uh …Entering this house means ….” She broke off, looking down at her gray sneakers, her fiddling progressively worsening. A few strands of brown hair fell onto her face, hiding her fearful eyes.

Misaki tutted. She grabbed Aien by the shoulders, her honey brown eyes glaring into Aien’s hazel eyes which had widened in shock at the sudden motion.

“You’re going to be fine.” Misaki announced in her confident voice. “You cant live in fear of new things, Aien.” Her eyes softened after seeing Aien’s scared face. “If it gets too much here, you’re coming to live with me.” She reassured. Misaki reminded Aien that it had been of her own volition that they had made this long journey

Aien nodded still keeping mum. Misaki pulled out a clip from her bundled up mess of hair and clipped the strands that had fallen onto Aien’s rather pale face. “If your health worsens here, then I am not leaving you.” She patted the younger girls head affectionately.

Those words seemed to snap Aien back to reality. “N-No. I’m grateful for this.” Aien tugged at her travelling bag. She hadn’t packed much. She had always led a minimalistic life ; A life that was comfortable, with all the things considered essential always being available. She had only packed what she saw as necessary, while starting a life in a new place, which were her clothes and a few books that her father had given her over the years. The rest of her stuff had been donated to the salvation army. Some of her dad’s old stuff, and medals, she had packed in a box and left at Misaki’s place.

They walked towards the porch and knocked using the big brass door knocker that hung from the door. Misaki squeezed Aien’s hand in reassurance. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a rather grumpy boy with dark beady eyes. He emitted an intimidating aura which made Aien shift behind Misaki nervously. Misaki seemed unphased. She was a veteran when it came to dealing with all sorts of people. She greeted him and then motioned at him to help with the bags, which made his frown deepen. He wordlessly picked up the larger of the bags, and Misaki carried the other bag in.

Aien sighed heavily, as she entered, removing her footwear as she did. She was going to be living with her aunt and uncle for the next few years. Fearful as she was about what the future held for her, she was grateful that they had opened their doors to her. Indeed, a plethora of emotions were going through this sixteen year old’s mind.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a warm voice. “Aien-chan???? Oh my! Darling!” Kiki-san exclaimed running up to her and pulling her into an embrace. A thin and tall lady, Kiki-san’s dark blue eyes were her most prominent feature. They always seemed to sparkle and twinkle. She was nothing like the boy who had opened the door. There was a comforting smell that surrounded Kiki-san’s person. A mix of Berries and Sandalsoap. Aien, feeling her walls melt a little, hugged her back.

“Kiki-san , thank yo_” she started shyly.

“Don’t thank me, dear. This is the least we can do.“ She pulled away from the hug and smiled warmly. “TOBIO? COME AND SHOW AIEN HER ROOM” she turned back and shouted. “You look a bit peaky, dear. You need a bit of feeding. Go and put down your things in your room and I’ll serve some ichigo daifuku.” Before Aien could protest, Kiki-san was greeting Misaki.

Aien looked around the house. From the hall, to the right side was the living room and to the left was a partition that led to the kitchen. There was a grandfather clock that hung from the mantle. It filled the house with a comforting tick-tock sound. There were also a lot of medals, and pictures of Tobio-kun holding a volleyball in adorable little frames. Aien made note to look through them once she had settled in.

Tobio who had gone back into his room after getting the bags in, came out again, looking annoyed. He growled “It’s right there, mom.”

Tobio Kageyama, a boy who wasn’t afraid of showing people how much he disliked how normal almost everyone around him was. He was a tall boy with straight black hair that fell flat onto his forehead.

Aien’s eyes widened. Her mind started racing with a million thoughts. _He’s so scary, How am I related to him again, Is this really going to work, could he kill me, I__

Misaki and Kiki-san were both meeting each other after a while and so were lost in a world most extroverts seem to share, a world where noise was just bliss. Aien knew there was no interrupting them once they had started talking.

Aien walked slowly towards Tobio who was still frowning and emitting a dark aura that made Aien’s toes curl in fright. He turned pulling her bag along with him as he walked away from the living room. She gripped her other bag and followed him. He led her down the hall, past the living room and took a turn, which now led her to a wider hall, at the end of which was a door with a lot of stickers on it. Stickers that ranged from anime characters to movie personalities to kittens. “It’s onee-san’s old room.” He said curtly, avoiding eye contact. A clear indication of either his lack of people skills or just a blasé disregard for social etiquette.

Aien had been awestruck by how tall he was. She had barely noticed anyone at the funeral so in reality, it had been years since she had met him. “Y-You’re so tall now, Tobio-kun.” She blurted. Her cheeks turned a brighter pink, already mildly pink from the cold.

_What am I saying.._

Entering the room, he placed the bags in and turned to her. “Yeah..”

She thought to herself _Hes not much for conversation …I guess that’s okay because neither am I._ Aien liked the look of the room. It was a medium sized room, fitted with a study table, a bed and a few empty bookshelves. Perfect for her.

_I must say something, He’s just standing there..uh..What do I say ..Does he hate me or something..Am I being a burden.._

The air was taut with awkwardness, she knew something had to be said to break the tension.

“Umm thank you for having me here” Aien finally stammered.

He nodded at her, and marched out.

She buried her face in her hands. This was not a good start.

* * *

Misaki hugged Aien before she left, she had traveled just to keep her company and make sure Aien didn’t get lost or worse still.

Aien didn’t feel like letting go. Misaki had been a part of her life for so long, but she couldn’t burden their family anymore. It wouldn’t be right.

“Promise me you’ll call me once in a while no matter how busy you get”, Aien sniffed.

Misaki grinned , “I’ll come meet you once in a while too. You take care of yourself.” Her tone was more serious now. In her matronly voice she reminded her to follow the chart they had made together, with reminders of her daily routines. She also comforted Aien by adding that if things got too rough, she could always leave school and come back to Nagoya.

Aien shook her head knowing what was at stake . “I’ll be fine. I can’t thank you enough Misa, I-I” _I'm not going to cry_ …. She bit her lips to keep from trembling.

Misaki smiled warmly and stepped out, “This is your home turf, use it to grow .” She waved as she walked into the cold evening. Misaki felt sad leaving her alone but she didn’t want to show it. This was Aien’s turn to live her own life and find herself through it. Misaki would miss her dearly. She continued walking, forcing herself to not turn back. A tear fell from her eye _, they grow up so fast_ she said to herself, despite being only a few years older herself.

An overwhelming wave of sadness engulfed Aien as she watched the fading silhouette of her closest companion. She shook her head. _This is my chance to turn my life around. I won’t let them down._

The blood-orange sky cast its hazy light onto the two girls whose fates were no longer intertwined. Fate was meanwhile already forging another bond within this small portion of the world, unbeknown to the pale faced girl, who stood motionless in the same spot, her fists tightly clenched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, make sure you catch the next chapter! COMING SOON! * _ * (I mean it guys, don't worry, it's going to be out soon! ). I shall try my best to post updates every weekend, unless I'm abducted by aliens in which case I won't be able to :'). F


	2. For the First Time in Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aien begins prep for her inclusion to the all famous- Aoba Johsai.

Two weeks had passed, since Aien had arrived at The Kageyamas’ doorstep. She had spent most of her time getting accustomed to their schedule which was very different from the life that she had led in Nagoya. She’d be starting at her new school the next day ; A private school that was well known in the Miyagi prefecture especially for it’s fully fledged sport teams; _Aoba Johsai_ also known as _‘The Blue Castle’._

She buried her face in her pillow, a myriad of emotions overpowering her senses. This would be her first time ever since that unfortunate incident that she’d be exposed to so many teens at once. She turned to face the ceiling; a habit built over time to help her cope with conflicting emotions.

A sea of doubt had her in its clutches. Her mind wandered aimlessly, with thoughts flying around like wasps. An overwhelming feeling of powerlessness filled her; The feeling of reaching out into the unknown only to be met with nothingness.

 _What if it triggered another_ …

She violently shook her head. She was taking all the precautions. Nothing was going to happen.

_I just got to make this work._

The moment Misaki had left, Aien had immediately felt the solitude of separation. Her hands had started conspicuously trembling. It was only when Kiki-san had taken her back in and given her a warm mug of chamomile tea, that she had calmed down. Kiki-san had really done her best to make Aien feel at home- going as far as to offer taking a day off from work, if Aien needed her company. Kiki-san was a registered nurse at the local hospital in the Prefecture. Her shifts had a lot of variation, ranging from all sorts of odd timings depending on the patients but most of the times she was given the night watch. It was also because she was a nurse, that Aien felt less worried about people not understanding her condition.

She had met with Dr. Edward, the local neurologist a few days ago. He hadn’t changed her medications and like every doctor she had ever met, he stressed on avoiding visual triggers. He had also advised her to meet him once a week until he was familiar with her condition.

Sitting up straight, Aien focused her breathing to help relax her body; one of the few countermeasures to calm her mind from stressing over things not in her mortal control.

An hour later, there was a knock on her door from Kiki-san indicating that it was time for breakfast.

Aien walked towards the dining table and took her seat opposite Tobio, who was already wolfing down his oats, his messy black hair evident of the fact that he had just woken up. He nodded at her in recognition and went back to viewing something on his phone.

Aien helped herself to a bowl of oatmeal and on an afterthought seasoned the top with fruit slices that were cut with skillful workmanship (most definitely Kiki-san’s handiwork). Standing back, she gazed at her bowl that was now a wholesome blend of granola, strawberries, apples, and a dash of cinnamon, admiringly.

“Tobio-kun! See, this looks like those Pinsta food pics neh??” she exclaimed.

He looked at her blankly, “….What……are Pinsta food pics?”, His voice trailing of towards the end. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, further messing up his hair.

She gasped at him.

Back in Nagoya, with how fast-paced life was, she had been in the crux of all the happenings of the world. So, for someone to now admit they hadn’t heard of only the hippest social platform - Pinstance…. Aien burst out into giggles.

He glanced at what she decorated, annoyed “It’s all going to mix in the stomach anyway”.

Aien pouted. She was used to Tobio-kun’s aloof nature by now and so wasn’t as anxious as she once used to be. His aloofness wasn’t an indicator of his emotional state towards the person…It was just how he appeared or so she consoled herself.

Kiki-san entered the dining room briskly. She had changed out of her work clothes. Grabbing her mug of coffee, she sat at the head of the table, a serious expression taking over her usual calm demeanor.

After the usual morning chatter, she got down to business.

“Tobio, since you and Aien-chan won’t be going to the same school, I was worried about how she’d get there alone.” She paused, stirring her coffee.

Aien couldn’t help but notice how tired Kiki-san looked. Her schedule was a lot different from the rest of the household. Yet she did her best to sync up to theirs. Aien felt a deep sense of pride towards her aunt.

Tobio continued to eat but had put his phone down in respect to his mother’s speech.

Kiki-san continued “Remember that friend of yours from school? You guys used to play on the same team if I remember rightly.”

Tobio immediately stiffened. His whole-body posture showed a man on guard; A man who was being hunted.

His mother oblivious to the tension that had filled the room continued, “I will speak to his mother today and explain why Aien needs a walking companion who can help her if anything goes wrong.”

Aien interjected nervously, “Kiki-san, I don’t want to burden anyone. I will be fine as long as I take my meds, an-and avoid any triggers.”

The older lady shook her head “It’s safer if you have someone with you. I confirmed this with your doctor as well.”

Tobio pushed his chair back. “Can I go now?”.

“I’m not done. I want you to introduce Aien to Sora-san’s kid.”

Tobio paled but didn’t dare refuse his mother who at times could be scarier than him.

He hesitated with his reply. “Ho- How about I drop her every day?”

His mother waved him off, “Your schools are in two different directions. It’s not a thought that hasn’t passed my mind.”

Tobio clenched his fists, the fierce expression still on his face.

“Fine. I’ll tell …I’ll tell him today.”

His mother nodded, ignoring the obvious discomfort that Aien was now wondering if she had imagined.

* * *

The rest of the day went as Kiki-san had planned. Aien, according to the information given by the school , had meticulously prepped for the year. She rechecked her bag every hour, this compulsive desire alleviated her stress a little. She had already ironed her uniform; A pale lilac blouse paired with a red tie and a light brown skirt. She really liked the look of her uniform- Both classy and sophisticated, indeed .

She looked at the grandfather clock and waited for it to strike five. That was when Tobio-kun would be back from his run and would be introducing her to her new friend.

She was soon lost in her own world where she mentally played out how she anticipated the next day.

Tobio-kun entered thirty minutes late, and found Aien watching him with her big hazel eyes. He was drenched in sweat, and his hair was plastered to his angry face; making his face look even smaller. He normally always calmed down after his runs, but today his frown was rather deep-set. Ever since the morning talk, he had stomped around the house and snapped at every attempt at conversation that Aien made. He ignored her gaze and with annoyance , flipped the towel that hung from his shoulder to now settle on his sweaty head. He grabbed his flask from the kitchen and started to head to his room.

“um…Tobio-kun, aren’t we supposed_”

“I know.” He cut her off. “We’ll go after I shower. I’ll be out in ten” He walked up to his room and slammed the door.

_Am I imagining things again..or does he really not like the idea of us having common friends??_

Sora-san lived in the house down the road, barely a few minutes away. Tobio had his hands in his pocket and a dark shadow seemed to have covered his eyes. He frowned at the ground as if he desired it to suddenly open up and teleport him into a different dimension. Aien on the other hand had her Polaroid glasses on and she was looking around at the place she’d now be living in. She did not miss the hustle-bustle of Nagoya City, the countryside was desirably, serene and peaceful.

Aien and Tobio were both emitting very different energy waves and were equally oblivious to what the other was feeling.

They stopped by a gate, where a tall boy, with hair that stood up in tall spikes in all directions like a turnip, was tossing a volleyball into the air. He hadn’t seemed to have noticed the arrival of the duo, as he continued tossing the volleyball.

Aien paled. _Why is everyone in this town so tall._

Tobio cleared his throat, after a few seconds of silence.

“Kindaichi…” His voice was barely audible. Like a small whisper. Aien herself, despite her proximity barely heard it. He tried again “Kindaichi.” His voice was definitely a little louder now, but still there was no way the boy would hear it.

Aien nudged him and said softly , “I don’t think he can hear you”.

“I KNOW. KINDAICHI TEME.” He yelled . His voice now sounded rude.

Turning in their reaction, the puzzled expression of the turnip haired boy was almost immediately replaced with a smirk. He walked up to the gate and slid it open. With his other hand, he spun the volleyball casually.

“Well well, if it isn’t the Great King coming to meet a commoner. How can I serve you?” he bowed .

Tobio tsked, his fists clenched, the dark aura growing. “I’m leaving my sister in your care.” * _fwip*_ He turned his face the other way as he spoke.

Kindaichi’s smirk grew “I didn’t catch that. My ears aren’t as good as they used to be.”

Tobio’s face remained turned to the other side. He repeated himself, a vein bulging from the side of his neck.

Turnip-hair boy continued “Don’t get too mad now, King”

That broke Tobio’s already fallible tolerance. All forms of self-control now vanished. He caught Kindaichi by the collar, his face contorted in a mix of emotions.

“I’m leaving my sister in your care.” He stated enunciating each syllable to the other boy, whose eyes had widened in surprise.

Aien looked at this exchange with a serious expression. _I must take notes. This is how friends communicate here._

Kindaichi shoved Tobio backwards.

“Buzz off you impudent_ “ his voice broke off on noticing Aien for the first time since they’d started their tiff.

Aien looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to complete his sentence. 

“…boy.” He finished, obviously not what he had initially intended to say.

His eyes were still on Aien. He had not expected Tobio to have any relations that could look even an ounce appealing in his eyes. He had planned to turn the duo away because anyone from the Kageyama family could only mean trouble. But he hadn’t expected such sheer innocence. A mild pink tinted his cheeks, he was embarrassed by his behavior now.

Aien bowed, thinking this was the right time to introduce herself. “Thank you. I am grateful.”

Kindaichi now had a very composed and refined look, he scratched the back of his head, “Yeah, uh my mom spoke to me about..um you. It’s..i mean.. I’m happy to help.”

Tobio looked at this exchange in confusion.

Aien bowed again “Sugawara Aien.”

“Uh Yutaro Kindaichi.”

“Kindaichi-san” she nodded.

“oh, you can just call me_”

Tobio snorted. “I think we’re done here. Aien, let us leave.” He turned and started to walk away.

Aien smiled at Kindaichi and bowed one last time before running behind her brother.

 _Ba-dump._ Kindaichi felt his heart thump a little faster. That smile..he kicked at the ground. “She just has to be related to the worst person in this town” he said out loud.

“SHUT UP KINDAICHI” his sister yelled from inside their house. He sighed, this was going to be an interesting year indeed. 

* * *

Aien looked at herself in the mirror. She had tied her hair back into a ponytail, with a bow type clip that she had bought at Nagoya. A few loose strands from her overgrown bangs fell onto her face. She tied the black opaque eyepatch onto her eye, and let her bangs fall onto it, to hide the eyepatch. Her eyepatch was one of the precautionary measures to avoid triggering any visual hallucinations.

_I can do this_ _._

After a quick breakfast, which Aien barely nibbled at, her nerves killing her appetite, Aien hugged her aunt, who had packed her and Tobio’s lunch. Kiki-san wished both of them, as they set off for their first day.

Tobio and Aien stood at the gate of the house in silence.

“Um.. Do your best..Tobio-kun “ Aien said, grimacing a little.

He grunted in response and waved at her. Their schools were in different directions.

Aien walked on until she saw a tall figure waiting for her up ahead. She ran up to Kindaichi, who greeted her with a shy smile on his face, no trace of the previous hostility.

And thus, began the foundation of a companionship that eventually helped melt away the barriers that a certain sullen, tall, tsundere prodigy-setter had created.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! I shall introduce the man of the hour soon xD. I just felt it was really important to start of the story with a strong foundation and then build up on her circle. I know, I haven’t spoken much about her *medical condition* but I will explain it soon, along with all her precautionary measures.  
> Luckily the aliens haven’t found me yet, but its not looking too good.THEY HAVE STARTED INFILTRATING MY DREAMS.  
> I will do my best to update this weekend. Thanks for reading, my internet support system . <3  
> Lots of Love  
> Hazel


	3. A Whole New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into the minds of the Aoba Johsai’s third years – A blend of Anxiety and Excitement, a day before the beginning of their last year.

“Iwa-chan!!” a light-hearted voice called out.

“I know!” Iwaizumi, snapped irately, as he veered his console to make sure he avoided the ambush of the enemy team. His irritation was from both the stress of the game and the individual next to him. He pulled out the hand grenade from his arsenal and flung it in the direction of the deafening shots, whilst running forward. A dangerous smile lit up on the face of the boy beside Iwaizumi, they were a powerful combination not many could mess with.

“DAMN YOU IWA!” Hanamaki growled as his health bar started to beam a dangerous red. He had just barely dodged the grenade and hadn’t taken a direct hit,yet.

“It’s the grown up’s time on the controllers, children!” Oikawa sang as he sniped at Hanamaki with unerring accuracy, from the elevated platform he was crouching on. This was often Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s Modern Warfare strategy:- force the enemy out in the open through a series of tactical ambushes and just when the chink in their armour was exploited enough, snipe them dead; With the former always being the long-range attacker.

Groans from the other team filled the room as the scoreboard flashed. “Damn it Matsu…Keep an eye on where I’m going” Hanamaki voiced his annoyance at losing as it was their fourth consecutive loss. 

Before the two on two match that they were currently playing, they had played a ‘Team Deathmatch’ against a few online players and had stood their ground rather well, resulting in a couple of wins but were totally annihilated by a team called Team Neko, whose sniper was impeccable.

Since the boys from Aoba Johsai weren’t veteran gamers, they took their defeats sportingly. Gaming was a rare occurrence for them since most of their free time was almost always taken up with Volleyball practice or hectic strength and stamina endurance drills.

“Mo ippon.” Matsukawa retorted in his quiet and bass voice. At first appearance, most people always thought him aloof and unapproachable, but in truth, he was probably one of the most amicable in the team.

“Hai haaai” Oikawa gave Iwa a high-five while the new map loaded - London Subway.

“Ooooooo this is my zone. Matsu...Stay behind me.”

“Iwa chan! Don’t just run in.”

The boys yelled instructions at their teammates while simultaneously attempting to take down the opposing team, the operators voice, further added to the din in Iwa’s room.

_A few minutes into the game_

BOOM. Oikawa ran from behind the containers, just as Matsu threw a grenade blowing up the zone that had him. Matsu was getting used to Oikawa’s play and hence had focused on taking him down first in hopes of scoring their first win.

“Oh ..” Oikawa sighed, knowing full well that Iwaizumi could handle their team even if he was out.

“WE GOT OIKAWA HAH” Hanamaki scoffed, not taking his eyes off the screen. He knew the duo had a mentally unbreakable connection, as long as they were together nothing could really break them. So, separating them was surely a way to secure a win.

Iwaizumi boinked Oikawa on his head, “Reckless turd”. His countenance, though as intense as ever didn’t look too shaken at the loss of his teammate.

“Iwa-chan.” he whined, rubbing his head.

Suave with no intention of hiding his obvious allure, Oikawa had a smile that could drive anyone to the brink of squealing till their voices were hoarse, a rather common occurrence at most of the matches. He was a big hit amongst the female population at Aoba Johsai, much to the dismay of his classmates. 

His brown hair was on a normal day, well coiffured and styled, but right now it was a wavy mess of locks. Despite his rather aesthetically pleasing appearance and well-defined jawline, his sharp brown eyes were what stood out the most, because past the charms and deceptions, his eyes told a different tale - Oikawa was not just a pretty boy; He wasn’t someone to take lightly. Armed with both the shrewdness of a wolf and the cunning of a fox, he was indeed a monster that was held in awe in the entire prefecture.

Iwaizumi cursed as he ran ahead, ducking behind obstacles as he did, his gun loaded and ready to shoot.

He ran into one of the makeshift buildings to avoid the volley of shots that Matsu was firing at him, only to run straight into Hanamaki.

He instinctively threw a stunner at Hanamaki and ran further inside the building to avoid the bombardment from Matsu.

“Iwa-chan, change the respawn limit!! I want to play too.” Oikawa whined resting his head onto his knees as he watched Iwa run through an abandoned metro.

Iwa grimaced at his health bar which was looking dangerously low.

Meanwhile, Oikawa punched his hands up in the air with sudden enthusiasm, “360 IWA-CHAN”. 

Iwaizumi who was now back in the open, swung 360 degrees, his hands reacting instinctively to the voice that had just called out his name, and shot at Hanamaki who had finally recovered and had followed him.

“AHHHHHHHH DAMN U GUYS” He slammed his controller onto his lap.

Oikawa yawned and leaned back onto the couch, zoning out from the game. He ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes closed.

_How do I get stronger…_

_Am I the right person to lead the team…_

_What if__

Iwaizumi glanced at his friend, who was being eerily quiet. He was aware that Oikawa was capable of falling into a pit of unbreakable doubt. The sudden change in atmosphere wasn’t palpable to an ordinary person’s eyes, but Iwaizumi had known him for years and was well-tuned to any changes in mood.

“MATSU NOW!” Hanamaki suddenly shouted.

“HECK” Iwa cursed as Matsu sniped at him, a hidden blur on top of a broken structure, resulting in a win for their team finally.

Oikawa who was now back to their game, laughed, “Iwa-chan, You can’t win without me.”

“HUHHHH?”, The spiky hair boy turned in anger and proceeded to slam his controller onto Oikawa’s head.

The gameplay continued for a while leaving the boys in a totally alternate realm of fantasy. They didn’t always get the spare time to behave like boys of their age group. Binge eating, shoddy sleep times and lazing about was just not ever a possibility with their schedules. 

“Matsu, we should leave”. Hanamaki gasped, looking at his watch. “Nee-chan is gonna yell at me again”.

Hanamaki Takahiro, a classmate of Oikawa's was also the wing spiker for their Volleyball Team. He wasn’t much for speaking during an actual match but with his friends, he was a lot more casual and relaxed.

Matsukawa Issei, his face as expressionless as ever, nodded. Matsu and Hanamaki were hardly ever a match for the duo they just played against.

Iwaizumi paused the game, having lost track of the time himself. He was rather satisfied with how the game had played out. The boys would be starting the first day of their last year in high school, after which they’d be college students. The air was suddenly taut with the fear and excitement that was associated with going back to school.

“Bye Makki and Matsu chan!” the brown-haired boy, with a smile that stretched across his face, waved at them as he lay on the sofa, all sprawled out. He yawned and stretched out, making himself more comfortable on the couch.

Iwaizumi closed the door, after a little light banter with the other two as they packed up their stuff and took their leave. He raised his arms over his head to loosen up his tense muscles and thought, _I’ll have to get ready for tomorrow too._

He noticed Oikawa sprawled out on the couch, and felt annoyance build up instantly.

“YOU LEAVE TOO. TRASH.” He yelled at the lounging boy.

Oikawa pouted. “I don’t wanna”. He peaked at his friend from the couch where he was resting.

Iwaizumi Hajime was the Wing Spiker and Ace of the Aoba Johsai Team. They had known each other ever since they were children. Best Friends? Debatable. More like an unshakeable bond. Iwaizumi was confident that no one knew Oikawa better than he did. The duo had a fierce bond that was best played out on the courts. 

The possible side effects of such a mental connection included constant bickering and Pg-13 violence. 

Iwa’s lips twitched in anger. “I’ll throw you out myself then”. With heavy strides, he walked up to the couch and started to drag his friend by the collar. The tussle that followed involved a lot of punches and yells, but nothing made Iwa budge from his goal of throwing this annoying parcel outside.

Just as he successfully got him to the front door, Oikawa stopped struggling. “We have to win this year.”

Iwaizumi paused, his eyes widening. Oikawa’s amused demeanour had vanished and was now replaced with a cold and chilling look. The comedy of the last few seconds had vanished.

Iwa let go of his shirt, dropping Oikawa with a loud thud and straightened up. “We will. You’re leading us.” He said in a quieter tone.

Oikawa fixed his clothes which were tousled and creased with all the dragging and pleading that had just happened. He frowned, “This is our last chance. We will not ..We can’t” He looked into his best friends eyes. “We can't lose, Iwa-chan”.

Iwa nodded. His face had the intensity of a man who knew what was at stake.

A few seconds of silence filled the space between the two boys.

“Iwa-chan you look constipated……Are you ill?” Oikawa questioned, the amused expression back, his words breaking the quiet of the room.

“HUHH? URUSAI YOU SHIT HEAD AND LEAVE MY HOUSE ALREADY! IF I SEE U HANGING OUT HERE, I’LL KILL U MYSELF” he yelled, opening his door and pushing Oikawa out. He banged his door shut. There was only so much he could handle from that brown-haired twerp.

Oikawa pouted. “He’s so moody.”

Dusting his clothes, he whistled a happy melody as he walked home, his mind already strategizing. The stakes were high, It was his last year in Aoba Johsai. His last year to climb that ladder that he’d worked so hard for. He had so many life decisions to make, this was the year where he chose the path that he’d be travelling on. Would it be the road less travelled on and paved with difficulties, yet what lay ahead would be worth the pain and toil? He had been so focused on Volleyball all his life, that everything else in his life always took a backseat.

He ran his hand through his wavy mop, his humming gradually hitting a diminuendo. 

_I can’t be thinking of others right now, after this year, I’ll change..I’ll allow people into my life…I’ll let myself relax a bit more..._

His heart felt a lot lighter knowing he still had time to catch up on everything he was sacrificing for the sport that he loved.

His mind went back to planning for the new team, that they’d soon have.

_Will there be decent players from the first year? I heard many of my juniors from Kitagawa Daiichi were applying to Aoba Johsai._

He smiled to himself, an aura of confidence hovering about his person. _Whatever it is, it’s the setter’s job to bring out the best in his team. I will not lose to anyone in this prefecture._

_Not even him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, this chapter actually takes place a day before Aien sets off for school. They all start High school on the same day. I wanted to bring out how I felt the boys would relax before the start of a new year.  
> Anyway, I spent a lot of time on this chapter because I didn’t want to make any technical mistakes. Apart from that, I really enjoyed writing it. Grateful for all the encouragement. Hope yall been having a swell week. Catch y’all soon with the next installment.  
> Love,  
> Hazel xx


	4. Written in the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aien settles down in High school, has her meet-cute, and starts her part-time job.

The high school bell rang loudly at Aoba Johsai High School indicating the start of Lunch break. Aien yawned and stretched out, relieved that she had got through this week at school. It had already been a week since she had started classes.

It had been a busy week; all her energy was expended at school. She’d go home in a daze and barely get through her chores, desperately craving the warmth and security of her bed. 

The first week was mostly filled with the usual excitement of making friends, forming cliques, signing up for clubs -The usual humdrum. The hustle and bustle was slowly settling down and everyone was getting accustomed to the change from middle school. Aien was placed in the erudite class amongst students who excelled in academics. Not being a very social person, she struggled to get along with her classmates, finding it a lot easier if she kept to herself.

With a gleeful expression, She opened her lunchbox which Kiki-san had prepared for her, and after silently praying In gratitude for a few seconds, she began to tuck in.

Most lunch breaks this past week, she had spent alone and she was slowly getting used to it.

Halfway through lunch, Aien remembered that she’d be starting off at **The Initiative** \- a small-time journalism/Magazine company after school. This was her way of feeling a little in charge of her finances, to reduce the burden on her aunt and uncle, even if it were just by a little.

The rest of the day was a blur, as she went through the remaining periods. The end of the day was greeted with sighs of relief from each class.

Just as she packed her bags and got up to leave, on habit she looked in the direction of Kindaichi’s class.

_Oh... I won't be going back with him today…_

She suddenly froze. She had forgotten to tell him.

_darn..._

Aien stepped into class 1E, her eyes searching keenly for Kindaichi. Her feet made a light tapping sound as she entered his class. Not seeing many people in the class, she hesitated before finally turning to the boy closest to the entrance.

“umm..”

He turned to her, surprise turning to recognition. He smiled, “Looking for Kindaichi?”

Aien flushed. “……..Yes”

“Hotaru! Did he leave already??” he called out to another boy who was busy stuffing his sweater into his backup while chomping on a meat bun. Hotaru answered with a bunch of incoherent words, his spittle flying around.

Aien felt the hair on her neck raise in disgust at what she had just witnessed.

She turned away and kept her eyes on the boy next to the door. She was embarrassed as she could not remember his name, even though he was someone she ran into quite often, on her way to meet Kindaichi.

_I keep calling him Kiiro, because of his yellow hair._

Kiiro(?) nodded at her, somehow understanding the gibberish from Hotaru, “Try the volleyball room”.

Aien sighed as she walked towards the courts, grateful to be able to leave the class. She normally spent the time after school, in the library where she’d catch up on extra reading, sometimes related to her academics and sometimes to relax her mind. She found herself more focused in the quiet ambiance of the library. There were not many students who hung out there. Since Aien hadn’t found any of the clubs to her taste, she hadn’t signed up for any.

Her small talk with Kiki-san about financing herself in some way fell on good ears. Kiki-san had managed to find her a writing gig at a small-time Magazine corner which fortunately happened to be near Aoba Johsai. Apart from today’s change in her usual routine, on a normal day, she planned her library time in such a way that Kindaichi and she would always sync up.

The volleyball practice room was not in the same building as their classes. She had to pass by the long winding school halls to get to the courts. The halls were bustling with fresh life, with students in gym outfits, smocks, and the like rushing to get to their respective clubs. Joyful laughter and chatter greeted her from all directions. Not being one for crowds, she ducked her head and rushed past the cluster of students.

She stepped out of the main building, with a deep sigh of relief. Looking around her, she tried to map the school in her mind. After a few minutes of mentally debating the direction she confidently headed to a smaller building towards the right of the main building. She had passed by the volleyball room many times since it was near the entrance to the high school, so she couldn’t be wrong about this.

Standing outside the volleyball practice room, she saw the words

“ONLY TEAM MEMBERS ALLOWED IN” in bold, plastered on the door leading in.

_Huh_

Aien frowned.

_Is this the famed volleyball team that I’ve heard Tobio-kun mention?_

When Tobio had heard she was joining Aoba Johsai, all that he had to say to her was something about turning down the offer to join this school. She couldn’t remember asking him why.

Aien looked around the building, and on spotting windows with grills on the sides, she decided to look through them to gauge the situation.

_If there are too many people, I will not go in._

She peaked through the windows, standing on her tiptoes to get a better view. Her head barely reached the first bar of the window, so her vision was at a great disadvantage, reduced to seeing only half of the volleyball court.

Tenaciously, she supported herself by hanging onto the first rather dusty bar of the window and hoisted herself upwards. Her upper arms shivered a little from the sudden use of her sleeping muscles.

Looking around, she spotted Kunimi-san who was stretching out and talking to another boy. She had been introduced to him a few days ago through Kindaichi. The two of them were from the same middle school as Tobio-kun. Though Kunimi didn’t hold much of a conversation with her, he was not overly rude to her. Aien was apprehensive of him because he looked constantly bored with everything and she wasn’t sure if it was just when she was around or was it his demeanor. She turned her gaze from Kunimi and looked around until she spotted Kindaichi tugging at a trolley filled to the brim with a hoard of balls towards the center of the court. She was still hanging onto the front bar of the window, her arms weakening gradually.

_Ahhh I must get his attention before my arms give way._

Her hands were now trembling more conspicuously, her feet hovering a few inches above the ground. She pressed her face against the dusty grills, trying to muster up enough courage to call out his name.

“Well! Well!! I didn’t know the girls in Aoba Johsai would go to this extent to peep into the volleyball team’s practice sessions”, a haughty voice sounded out from behind her.

Aien flinched, dropping her arms instinctively. She fell with her back towards the source of the voices, her arms flapping into the open air trying to grab something that would break her fall but to no avail.

She lost her balance and inadvertently dropped her bag and herself with a loud thud, and fell onto the concrete beneath her. The sudden force of the fall sent a wave of pain through her back.

A head reached out to help her up.

Standing up, she tried to focus at the source of the voice, her eyes filling up with tears from having the wind knocked out of her.

“Who are you?”

“Are you okay?”

She could hear multiple voices, her teary vision was slowly clearing.

Aien’s eyes widened. Standing in front of her were two boys, in gym clothes, paired with the Aoba Johsai jacket and they both towered over her. From the looks of superiority that was plastered on both faces, she knew immediately that they were seniors. The boy who helped her up was smiling at her with an expression that for some reason sent chills up her spine.

She immediately bowed, “I-IM SORRY . I – I WAS JUST _”. Her voice was a few pitches higher from her embarrassment at being discovered in a situation that could under most circumstances be categorized as suspicious behavior.

“Peeping?” The boy with the brown hair interrupted, his face still half-smiling, half-smirking.

“I-I-I WAS N-NOT!” Aien stammered her voice still raised.

“Ohho what were you here for then?” he leaned a little closer. The boy beside him shifted his feet.

“I-I need to talk to someone who’s umm inside?” she said a little dazed from the proximity. His brown eyes stared straight into hers with unwavering concentration, causing Aien to unconsciously take a step backward. His gaze didn’t falter, making Aien feel obliged to keep up the façade and not break eye contact as if it were a match to see who’s eyes would tear up first.

“hahaha you’re asking me?” he burst out, his eyes glistening from the sudden entertainment.

Aien turned away finally, her face reddening.

The boy beside him looked like he had seen enough. He slapped his friend on the back, and said with an air of impatience, “That’s enough Oikawa.”

“ ~Iwa-chan~ I was just teasing.” He straightened his back and glanced at the girl in front of him. “Who’s your man?”

“HUH” she looked more confused.

Iwa sighed. “What’s your name?”

“S-Sugawara Aien” she bowed again.

Iwa walked up to the gym door and swung it open. Stepping inside, he yelled out, “There’s an Aien here for one of y’all!”

Meanwhile, Oikawa was observing the girl who stood in front of him. Brown hair that curled slightly towards the edges, bangs that completely covered one of her hazel eyes, leaving only a single eye visible. She was rather short, barely reaching an inch over his waistline yet despite the nervous energy she was emitting, she had a slight look of anger on her face, causing her to frown a little. She shifted under his scrutiny.

“What's that on your eye?” he suddenly asked noticing the edge of her black eyepatch, when her bangs shifted a little.

She didn’t seem surprised with his question, but with the past few minutes of his teasing, she felt miffed.

_This boy is really insensitive._

“That’s n-not something I want to tell you about.” She stated firmly, the nervous girl from the past few seconds was gone.

But to her annoyance, he only smirked at her.

“oh? Why is that?” he pressed.

 _Why is he smiling?_ Aien glared at him, surprising even herself with the sudden anger that was coursing through her veins.

Meanwhile, in the volleyball room after Iwaizumi’s announcement, Kindaichi was rather startled to hear Aien’s name being mentioned. He had vowed to keep her away from the volleyball room especially since a certain family member of hers wasn’t exactly a happy topic amongst them.

Iwaizumi looked around, waiting for someone to reply. He was curious as to who was dating Aien from his team because as far as he was aware his teammates were poster boys for awkwardness. In fact, Iwaizumi prided himself on being someone whom girls considered dateable, completely disregarding Oikawa. To think that someone in this team had the potential to score a girl this cute….

He scoffed to himself.

_I’m sure she’s got the guy mixed up. She’s probably looking for one of the football boys._

Kunimi whispered into Kindaichi’s ear as he passed him “Don’t tell them who she is.”

Kindaichi just frowned at him before running up to Iwaizumi, who patted his back nonchalantly.

“I don’t think anyone heard me. So, tell them an Aien is looking for someone here.” He repeated calmly.

Kindaichi nodded. “I heard you, Iwaizumi-san. Where is she?”

Iwaizumi’s hand which was still on Kindaichi’s back froze, “H-H-Huh??”

“…”

“…”

“Iwaizumi san??”

He pointed outside, in silence, a shadow falling over his face.

Kindaichi bowed and walked past his frozen senior. He spotted Aien immediately.

Oikawa, seeing him walk up to them, looked puzzled. “Is her dude not here?”

Aien breathed a sigh of relief, “Kindaichi-san”.

Oikawa’s amused demeanor changed to absolute silence. He shifted his gaze from one to another, his eyebrows raised.

Kindaichi walked up to her, worried “Are you okay? Should I take you home?”

“No way….” Oikawa whispered, slowly walking away and getting closer to Iwaizumi who was still frozen and looking the other direction.

They stood in silence for a few seconds. Oikawa glanced at Iwa, whose jaw was slightly open and poked him, “Breathe”.

Iwaizumi blinked, still not forming words.

It was only after a few more seconds that he finally turned around and said in a hushed tone, “W-wow…that ..that was unexpected.”

Oikawa watched Aien and Kindaichi walk a little away from the gym, she was explaining something to him seriously “Who knew our juniors had more game than we do.”

Iwaizumi still had a look of awe plastered on his face “We should make him Captain of the team.”

Matsu had walked up to see what was holding up the practice.

“I agree. That man is a god now.”

Oikawa pouted, miserably. “This hurts, you guys. I have game too.”

Iwa scoffed, “Fan clubs don’t count as game. How many have actually dated you?”

“You scare them away with your angry voice, Iwa chan.” He complained.

“Yeah because you pick the worst timings.”

“So, I do have game!!!” He stated passionately.

“Not in the slightest.”

“I sense some jealousy, Iwa-chan.”

Matsu sighed, “We’re gonna die single.”

Iwaizumi clenched his fists. “No. We have a savior now.”

Oikawa waved his hands in front of Iwaizumi’s face. “DON’T IGNORE ME IWA CHAN!!”

Iwaizumi and Matsu were in a different zone, all their pride at being seniors in this team had deflated.

Kindaichi walked up to his seniors, having finished his conversation with Aien. He looked confused as he saw all three of them gaze at him with newfound respect.

He chewed on his lower lip as he walked past them, apologizing for holding up the practice.

Kunimi who had been watching this scene, for once had a sparkle in his usually dead eyes.

_They’ve totally misread this situation._ _This is going to be…..fun._

Kindaichi was blissfully unaware of everything that had just happened and began his warm-up.

Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa by the collar, “Let us practice, you absolutely Trash captain”.

“Iwaa chann I will show you ,I have game.” his voice sounded distant as he was dragged in. The door was slammed shut.

Aien touched her cheeks, which were flushed from the sudden encounter with her seniors as she headed straight for the gate. This was the first time she’d been caught in such an awkward position. And to top it all, she had been rather rude to one of her senpais’.Clenching her fists, she made her way to way to ‘ **The Initiative** _’_ and forced herself to stop thinking about the events that had just taken place.

* * *

_~ A few hours later at The Kageyama’s Residence ~_

Aien looked into the kitchen fridge, rummaging through the boxes that Kiki-san had labeled, making it a lot easier for her to fix up a meal. Kiki-san as usual had the night shift leaving the two of them in charge of their own meals. They had fallen into a system together, taking turns to make dinner.

Tobio-kun just vigorously devoured anything that she put up for him. He has a frightening appetite, she laughed to herself.

Though they had dinner together every night for the past few weeks, the two weren’t ones for making conversation.

But tonight, Aien felt a bit talkative.

“Um..I.. uh… started at Joon sensei’s writing corner today” Aien started quietly.

Tobio nodded. “Good.” His face looked a bit tense.

Aien moved her broccoli to the corner of her plate and continued to make conversation. “So tomorrow we finally get a break, do you want to watch something together?”

In the past few weeks of her stay, they both had discovered a common interest – a sports anime that aired every weekend.

Tobio flinched. “Cant. I have a match.”

“What already???” The surprise was evident in her voice, she hadn’t been aware that he had been selected for his school’s team.

He frowned, eating his food more aggressively and speaking with his mouth filled with greens

“Match mmphg joinmng team mmpphhg decider”

Aien nodded enthusiastically although she had no idea where this was going.

He swallowed his food and wiped his mouth with his sleeves. “There….There is" , his voice lowered, “ A really annoying boy on my team.”

“Oh?”

He looked up at her, his blue eyes filled with turmoil. “I have to win tomorrow if I want to be the setter in my team.”

“Oh, are you playing against the um ‘annoying boy’ ?”

“…”

“…”

“No.” He aggressively sliced the meat patties on his plate. “Same side.”

“oh”

Tobio looked at her, with a weird expression on his face, “He’s a little taller than you, and…and…” He made a few wild hand gestures before looking up again, “and he’s just…..mmmphmmrg” he shoved a forkful of meat into his mouth.

Aien placed her fork down, “ You’re annoyed with him because…because he’s short?”

“….”

“No, He’s got the stamina and the speed, he’s fast, He…hasn’t trained ever..and he’s ..he’s so stupid.” He sighed.

“Well, It’s a good thing you have three years to build each other.” Aien smiled.

His eyes widened, having not thought about having to tolerate three more years of the past week. That thought further infuriated him. Aien had unconsciously added fuel to the already raging fire.

He slammed his fists onto the table, startling Aien. “He doesn’t even know how to play, I’m playing with absolute amateurs. I JUST CANT CATCH A BREAK IN MY LIFE.”

With this sudden outburst, he stood up, took his plate, and went to wash it. Silence filled the room again, with Aien frozen to her seat. The sounds of water splashing dimmed and Tobio began walking to his room, his mind all set on the match.

“Tobio kun”

“mm?”

She held her hand up, palm forward, and with her other hand gently pressed the center of her palm with her thumb.

This was something the two of them did as kids, before every game that Tobio played. It was a simple gesture but to the two of them, it held a deeper meaning. It was something they’d do together to help calm each other’s minds, with the belief that when the two of them pressed their palms, they were calming each other’s mind through a cosmic connection.

He paused for a few seconds, having not done this in a while. The last time he had seen Aien do this was back in elementary school. He hesitated for a few seconds too long, Aien felt her heart sink. _Maybe he feels it's childish._

Just as she began lowering her hand, he raised his palm and mimicked her action, embarrassment evident on his features.

Aien beamed at him. “Play double your best, Tobio-kun.”

His frown didn’t disappear but his face looked calmer. “Oyasumi Aien”

She smiled at him, grateful that time hadn’t completely eroded their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Denizens of the World !  
> I want to just thank all the people taking their time out and reading my fanfic. I am really trying to upload as fast as possible without skimping on quality.  
> I've had a rather nice week, thinking of so many meet-cute scenes xx. Hope y'all all have had a peaceful week too.  
> Cheers from my world.  
> Hazel xoxo  
> P.S The match takes place in S1E4


	5. Tides of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two days before the fated practise match at Seijoh!

Oikawa yawned as he stretched out on the volleyball court’s floor. They had just finished a good round of matches with the first-years who had joined the Aoba Johsai team. They were tested on their endurance, flexibility, ability to adapt, and agility and had held their ground. He stared up at the roof of the indoor court, not really taking in the panels and the lights on the apex of the roof or the way the roof had a hemispherical slant to its construction. Rather, his mind was deeply formulating and processing each skill of his teammates. He began thinking deeply of different positions to place each teammate and had already gauged the newcomer’s weak points and their strengths, knowing exactly the kind of set they’d be able to hit.

_Kindaichi is definitely middle blocker material._

_Kunimi? I think will actually be a weapon most people would not expect, striking when everyone has their guards down._

His damp brown hair, splayed out in a messy fashion, gently caressed the synthetic floor of the court. He held a hand over his head to block out the glare of the lights. Amidst the satisfaction of his current team, there was a tinge of frustration as his heart always felt burdened with what had taken place in the previous year. He hadn’t been good enough.

The hollow sound of the ball hitting the ground with no one to retrieve it….. He shuddered, the scene fresh in his mind.

But, this year was different. He knew the hours he’d spent in practice and training was going to pay off finally. A minuscule flame lit up in his heart, as he envisioned his team in the Nationals.

The rest of the Aoba Johsai team were all at different corners, either stretching out or getting the mops out, to clean the court.

Iwaizumi, who was ordering a few first-years to grab the mops, glared at his friend who was still lying on the floor. Just as he was about to fling the mop at his face, he noticed the Coach walk up to Oikawa. He watched on, curiously.

“Oikawa, A minute.” Head Coach, Nobuteru Irihata called out, standing at the baseline.

Oikawa immediately straightened up, his damp hair flopping back onto his face. He pushed it out of his eyes and looked up at the coach.

“I got a call from Karasuno’s Advisor, requesting a practice match.” He started.

Oikawa’s eyes immediately had an evil glint, the caramel brown emitting an intimidating pulse, “Oh?”

“Tobio is a part of that team.” He continued. His tone held a blend of amusement and curiosity. The coach was aware of Tobio’s prodigy skillset and had wanted him to join Aoba Josai but was turned down by a very sulky Tobio who had been keen on joining another powerhouse school. It was now amusing to see him join a has-been school.

“Let’s do it, Coach. Our team is already rather solid. I have faith in them.” His voice though casual, to the coach’s trained ears, it was a voice that meant business. Oikawa wasn’t one to ever turn down a chance to gauge his competition, studying and observing every movement like a cat with a laser.

“I told him, I’d call him back. I wanted to discuss it with you first.” He began to walk away, gesturing at Oikawa to continue with his cool down.

“Coach.” Oikawa suddenly called out, an idea forming in his mind. He knew that Karasuno was no longer a team to really reckon with, and any practice match for them was a blessing in disguise and so, he was keen to make use of their helplessness.

Coach Irihata turned back, his face expressionless.

“On one condition.” Oikawa smiled, the glint making his caramel brown eyes turn a shade lighter. “Tobio-chan must be the setter.”

* * *

“Natto?” Aien questioned, turning the cold ‘pack of three’ in her warm hands to check on the expiry date.

Tobio wrinkled his nose at the suggestion as he tugged on the shopping cart. He had piled the cart with cartons of flavored and non-flavored milk boxes, mochi, and yogurt. Apart from which, he had then proceeded to ignore all the healthy suggestions, Aien kept dropping.

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and the two of them were sent out to stock up on groceries with Kiki-san giving them the luxury to decide on what they’d like to eat over the week, for the most part. She had also sent along, a small list of essentials that they had meticulously sought out, right at the start.

Aien, after a few seconds of thought, added it to the cart. It was a triple pack of natto. She glanced at her brother who didn’t look too happy with the addition of the fermented beans, “Now that you’re on the KSH team, you need to eat healthy to keep your energy up.”

“Milk is good enough.” He frowned, moving the natto back to a higher section of the shelf, in the hopes that she wouldn’t be able to reach for it.

Aien laughed and pulled another pack from the lower shelf, ignoring his pleas. She looked at the small list that Kiki-san had scribbled on, to ensure that she hadn’t missed out on anything. Since, most of the nights, they made themselves dinner, it was up to them to buy what they saw fit.

“Okay! Tuna and Chicken next.” She waited for Tobio to lead the way as she still didn’t have her bearings of this supermarket despite this being her third visit. The supermarket was rather crowded and Aien had bumped into a lot of people while she looked around for food to add to the cart, apologizing profusely as she did with Tobio clicking his tongue in irritation behind her.

He grabbed a couple of sports drinks on their way to the meat section. And on a second thought added, a bunch of energy bars too.

His mind seemed further away than usual. Aien had heard all about his match that he had played with his team, the previous day and knew it had been good news. He had even found a way to work with the teammate that he didn’t get along with. She hadn’t really understood the specifics of what he told her, as she had no experience with volleyball herself except for playing with the Kageyama siblings when she was younger. She had even seen the team jersey and had admired it, having never been a part of any sports team herself. After he spoke about the match, he had collapsed on the couch and zoned out of their conversation, deep in thought.

“I-I….you can select the tuna.” He pointed ahead to an area that had shelves of brightly colored fish wrapped in cling foil. And labeled neatly. To an amateur, the choices could be overwhelming- ranging from seasoned fish that varied in the amount of salt added, to dried fish, to fresh fish and the lot.

He turned away as he said the next few sentences, his voice lowered. “I’ll guard the trolley.”

Aien struggled to keep a straight face, nodding quickly before she rushed into the section that sold fresh meat and fish. Even though Tobio hadn’t explicitly told her, she knew he didn’t do too well with the smell of raw fish _. Or is it the eyes on the fish?_ She vaguely recalled, Tobio crying when they were younger about something of that sort. But to make sure he didn’t lose face, she didn’t comment on this and question him further, allowing him to ‘guard’ the trolley.

Aien frowned as she got closer to the array displayed. She looked at the rows of various kinds of seafood, from oysters to the good old yellowtails. Even though, she was no stranger to selecting fish, her hands fidgeted with the list she was holding and she involuntarily glanced at it for the umpteenth time. After a few more moments of indecisiveness, she carefully picked out a few packs of square-cut sashimi, a few recipes coming to mind.

_I can grill a few of these cuts and sprinkle bonito flakes on them._

Moving nearer to the refrigerated fresh fish, which were mostly caught in the morning, she used a pair of tongs dipped in water, and carefully picked out the red seabream. Since fish was what they most often ate at the Kageyama residence, they had to replenish their stock almost every week.

She prided herself on her fillet skills, learning at an early age from watching Misaki help around at her own house, back in Nagoya.

Shopping for fish always reminded her of her trips with her dad. He was very fond of Salmon and had come up with various dishes every weekend for them to try. She smiled to herself remembering how some of his experiments of mixing ingredients would go terribly wrong, leaving them with no choice but to heat up packets of curry blocks that were stored in case of emergencies.

“Chazuke…with umeboshi.” She muttered to herself.

A twang of pain strummed across the strings of blood in her chest as she reminisced about her dad - His bent over body as he pretended to decorate the food before he served it to her, the sparkle in his eye as he taught her his ‘oh so secretive legendary’ recipes, the way he’d pretend not to notice her moving away certain portions of the food which looked unappealing to the eye.

Shaking her head, she double-checked the fish in both her arms and then placed them all into a cover and carried them over to where Tobio was supposed to be waiting. But there was no sign of the trolley or him.

Feeling a bit lost and out of place amongst the crowd of people, She walked towards another aisle, when she suddenly heard a rather excited voice exclaim, “THAT’S SO LAME KAGEYAMA!”

She turned her head in the direction of the voice, a boy with orange hair bounced up and down in front of Tobio, whose fingers were twitching in anger.

Aien, whose hands were filled with the packets of fish she had just selected, walked over to them.

“It.Is.Not.Lame.” he answered gritting his teeth and covering the front of his chest with his arms, in annoyance.

The orange hair boy had tears in his eyes as he continued laughing, pointing at something.

_Oh..The Hello Kitty shirt..._

She had found it rather amusing too, but knowing that Miwa was the one who’d given it to her little brother as a joke, Aien hadn’t commented. Tobio wasn’t one to really care for appearances, so he wore it on occasions as such.

Tobio, who was clenching his fists, had raised his left hand to shove the boy when Aien called out to him.

His hand still landed giving the shorter boy a shove, sending him stumbling a few steps back and he walked over to her, his eyebrows knitted together in frustration.

Aien started to place the fish inside the cart, arranging a few bottles that Tobio had carelessly tossed inside.

“Oh?? Who are you???”, A voice from her left rang out.

Aien flinched and turned to the boy. He was observing her with wild curiosity, his light eyes shining brightly.

_Wasn’t he standing there? How did he get here so fast?_

“None of your business, Hinata.” Tobio growled.

“IS THIS YOUR GIRLF_”, He started, but Tobio had slammed his hand against his mouth, causing him to choke on his words. The boy screamed out a bunch of muffled words, waving his hands in an animated fashion.

“Um…I’m Aien.” She bowed on an afterthought.

“She’s my cousin.” Tobio added while giving Aien a look that clearly indicated ‘end all conversation’!

“I’m Hinata!!” he cheerfully said, shoving Tobio’s hand away and wiping his mouth. He moved closer to Aien and whispered “His only friend.”

Ignoring Kageyama’s obvious look of anger, Aien laughed. She had mentally connected the dots and understood who Hinata was – The boy who was always the focal point in any conversation that involved Tobio expressing his annoyance.

“Oh, Are you in Karasuno too?!” his eyes lit up with the excitement of meeting another person in the same school.

Aien shook her head, “Uh, Aoba Johasi.”

His eyes widened. “OHHH”

“Tch..As if you know where that is.” Tobio muttered

Hinata scratched his head, “Yeah, I don’t actually know.” He grinned. “Why didn’t you go there, Kageyama?”, He added nonchalantly.

“Do you want to die?” Tobio growled.

_Hinata seems nice enough._

Aien had heard all about their match from yesterday, and how Tobio with one of his rare smiles, explained to her how Hinata and he, had a combination attack that won them the match and that he’d have a good chance of setting for his team. He had stressed a lot on their combination, calling it a ‘quick attack’. Even with Aien’s ignorance of the game, she had felt inspired by hearing the passion in his voice.

“So, So, Is your school team good???” he asked her eagerly.

“Have you seen them play?”

“They’re one amongst the top 4 in the prefecture!!!”

“We’re gonna play them on Tuesday!!”

Amidst the flurry of questions and statements that Hinata bombarded her with, her eyes widened at the last. She turned to Tobio who had a sheepish expression on his face. He had forgotten to mention this to her.

“You’re playing Aoba Johsai?”, The question was more for Tobio. She tried to hide her hurt at being kept in the dark, but she didn’t have to, Tobio wouldn’t have noticed anyway.

He nodded. “Tuesday after homeroom.”

Hinata jumped up, punching the air as he did. “We’re gonna win our first match!!! Kageyama, you better be ready!”

“HUH? YOU DON’T TELL ME THAT.” He yelled, grabbing Hinata’s head and pushing him down.

Hinata jumped back up, his hands trying to settle his ruffled up hair.

“Ohh Aien! Have you seen your team practice?? Are they good??” he repeated his questions eagerly while keeping an eye on Tobio to prevent any sneak attacks from landing.

Aien frowned. Those pair of caramel brown, teasing eyes flashed into her mind.

“No.” she stated firmly.

Tobio looked at her in surprise, forgetting about the bouncy boy in front of him. “W-Why do you say that?”

Fortunately for her, she didn’t have to answer that question as Hinata let out an emphatic exclamation on looking into their shopping cart. “Oh, so you consume a lot of those milk cartons??? HUHHH??? OKAY, I WON'T LOSE TO THE LIKES OF YOU. I'LL BUY SOME TOO.”

He broke into a run and vanished in a split second from the aisle they were in. Aien barely had time to register his movement when Tobio let out a guttural sound and chased after him.

Aien wasn’t aware of the walking disaster the duo could be if left unsupervised, so she didn’t follow after them.

Instead, she casually looked around the aisle they had been standing in and noticed it was the Chocolate and Candy section. After a few moments of gazing with sparkly eyes, she added a few bars of matcha kit-kats. She hadn’t indulged in these chocolates ever since she had left Nagoya. Looking around at the variety of chocolates, her hands lingered at the Twix bars and Meiji matcha chocolate packs.

The momentary spell of the chocolates was broken as she heard a few loud thuds and a few more yells. Sighing she pulled herself away from the magnetic pull of the aisle.

Aien slowly wheeled the trolley and went over to the milk section. The scene that greeted her eyes left her wide-eyed and baffled.

The two boys were violently grabbing cartons of milk, attracting a lot of stares. A few cartons had even fallen over. Aien could barely see their faces, over the pile in their arms. They were violently shoving each other with their elbows and screaming unintelligible words.

_Do I pretend I don’t know them?_

She debated mentally if she should just check out and wait outside. A few of the workers had gathered around them, yelling curtly.

Aien decided she’d slowly back away while she had the chance. The employees grabbed Hinata and Tobio and separated the two, who were still growling at each other.

Turning away, Aien carefully began wheeling the cart towards the check out counter.

“AIEN!” Tobio suddenly yelled out, noticing his sister amidst the mayhem.

Flinching, she continued moving towards the counter, ignoring the yells. It would be worse if both of them got banned from this mart - A mart, that they’d have to frequent in the future.

After checking out, she gathered all the covers and wheeled her cart out. She spotted the two immediately. A senior employee was reprimanding the two as they stood with their heads lowered.

Aien joined them after a while. And was surprised to see that the two of them had not even an ounce of remorse on their faces.

Infact , Tobio actually looked angry …... Angry with her.

“You-You just left.”

Aien moved her hands from the cart and crossed her arms over her chest, defensively.

“Of course. I’m an adult.”

Hinata looked annoyed, “Why did I have to pay for the milk too? You clearly were the one who spilled it.” He jabbed Tobio in the chest.

Tobio looked like he was going to slam Hinata into a different dimension. Aien hurriedly pushed the cart in between the two, “Let’s head back. We have a lot to carry.”

Tobio grabbed the bigger covers from the cart and followed Aien.

Hinata walked out with them, a carton of milk in one hand. He had realized he didn’t have the cash to pay for all the cartons he had picked up with Tobio. Especially since he had to pay for the spilled milk too.

“I didn’t know you lived so close to Granny’s place.” He grinned at them as he walked side by side, with his arms tucked behind his head.

Tobio didn’t look too happy about it. Aien smiled at Hinata.

“You should come over sometime.”

She nudged Tobio, who with a bigger frown on his face, murmured “Yeah”

Hinata laughed to himself, and said under his breath “Like I’d want to spend more time with a moody person like him”.

Tobio glared at him, “What was that?”

“HAH n-nothing.” He whistled, looking the other way.

They parted ways at the bus station. The journey back home was a quiet one.

“So…..Aoba Johsai on Tuesday……Will I..um.. see you?” She asked softly.

Tobio, who had been fiddling with the handles of the shopping bags looked at her in surprise. “Oh..um. Yeah, I’ll meet you before the match.”

“Your old teammates will be there.”

“hmm.” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter. Whoever it is, I’ll do my best.”

“Hinata doesn’t seem like a bad person.” She was referring to the previous conversation they’d had about him, where Hinata was passionately dissed.

He didn’t say a word, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.

* * *

Aien collapsed on her bed. It was already around ten in the night, the day had passed quickly. She had helped Kiki-san prep for the rest of the week and arrange the groceries. Tobio had gone out all evening to practice for his match and prepare himself mentally. Misaki had chatted with her for a bit too. She had been busy trying to help her parents handle their shop as well as take care of her studies. New people had moved into the flat, that had once been Aien’s abode. Misaki had complained that they were rather noisy people, and the daughter was going through a k-pop phase and blasted music all evening.

Aien removed her eyepatch and placed it on her table, before laying back down again.

A tear rolled down her face as she was suddenly hit with a wave of homesickness. She missed her evenings playing Mahjong with Arenne (Misaki’s sort-of boyfriend), Misaki, and Kenji-kun (Misaki’s younger brother). She even missed the rainy, gloomy weather which she had grown accustomed to, the new year shrine visits with her father and the Nakamura family, the pale walls in her old room…

Her mind felt eerily quiet, though her heart was under turmoil. She lay motionless for a while, her fingers were twitching, unnoticeably. Her swollen eyes slowly closed, her pale cheeks tear-stained as she drifted into a hazy slumber.

A small reminder rang softly on her phone, but the girl was already in a world of million dreams, all of her own design. The bottle of AEDs lay untouched and forgotten on her bedside table. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the chapter that I’d think The bTS between episode 5 and 6 would be like ! Oikawa is really such an inspiration, and is hands down my favorite character in the series! Annnd, Hinata has been introduced! ~Chibi chan~  
> Have a killer weekend, you guys  
> Love  
> Hazel


	6. Requiem For a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The intertwining of tragedies between Oikawa and Aien before the fated KSH vs AJ practice match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning : Visual Epileptic Attack in the first half!
> 
> https://youtu.be/IDsCtDRV2uA - Listen While reading Aien's story!!

Spirals. A never-ending swirl of spirals. Fairy Lights flickered around the spirals, devoid of any gaugeable rhythmic pattern. The dying wail of a siren broke through the mesmerizing trance of the rotating coils - A Premonition?

_RUSH HIM TO THE ER!!_

The sound of laughter in the distance. The spiral spun faster, shedding shimmering strands as it twirled in the beyond. A sudden tinkling of broken glass.

_Did you hear what happened to her dad? She’s a freak!!!!!_

The spiral started to unwind with a hypnotizing charm, its sudden speed gradually dying down and transforming into singular strands – like a strand of DNA coming undone. A pale hand reached out to stop the strands from spinning. The hand trembled yet it reached out without hesitation. On the light contact made by the pale hand, a portion of the strand began dissipating, sending out sparkles from where the strand had once existed as an independent form.

_A FREAK!!_

The laughter was growing louder. The hand had disappeared into the myriad of rotating strands. The color of the strands switched from a Turquoise blue to bright orange to a sunshiny yellow in the span of a few seconds. The yellow slowly began to overpower the entire atmosphere, getting brighter and brighter until, all that was visible was a massive ball of light, blurring out everything.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The noises changed, from eerie laughter into screams. Bone-chilling screams. The massive ball of light began throbbing, switching through peaks and crests of intensity. Amidst the horrifying screams, were sounds of sirens. A cacophony of madness. An auditory nightmare. And then, as swiftly as the noises had appeared, they vanished too. Dead silence. The atmosphere had changed…There was nothing but darkness, for miles and miles…..and nothing else. All around was a void of black.

_We are gathered here today to honor the memory of…._

Slowly Faces began forming amidst the canvas of black. Distorted faces. Disfigured bodies. The old rugged cross played softly in the background.

_Poor girl...She’s so young._

Eyes that were slates of white, devoid of pupils gazed at something in unison. A little girl in a white dress pranced about, moving her limbs nimbly, ignoring the crowd of hapless figures. Her white dress sparkled and shone with sequins that started to slowly hit the ground with sharp tinkles. She raised her arms as though she were dancing to a choreographed sequence. The dirge played on. A little boy lay on the ground, tears running down his face. The girl skillfully danced around him, only stopping when her little boot fell off. She picked her boot up and turned back with a smile. Her face was bare, apart from a pair of lips. A mouth that was slowly dissipating, stretched out to given an impression of a ghostly smile. A faceless existence.

_Aien?_

The piano continued playing in the background. The girl was slowly disappearing, breaking down into pixels. The boy had stopped crying and was now, plucking at the grass that lay on the ground. The rest of the gathering was already gone. The little girl desperately reached out to grab the pixels that were dissipating from her body. But it was in vain. Yet, her smile didn’t falter.

Before her torso vanished, she reached out for the last time, a few red waves dancing on her palm. The waves grew bigger, engulfing the small palm where they once danced on. The girl was no more. In place of her were just flames….Crimson Red.

_AIEN_

The music got louder and the voices started to overlap. The red waves began to spin, leaving behind a storm of dust in its wake. The voices had reached a crescendo. Streaks of light shone amidst the tornado of red.

_I’m not selfish….Aien._

A man’s silhouette appeared amidst the swirling waves. He raised his hands like the conductor in an orchestra and waved it gracefully. His arms danced through the air in an enchanting and haunting waltz.

The waves began to follow his hand movements and rotate in time with them until they finally blended into the background, leaving behind the shadow of a lonely man. The voiced that had turned into murmurs had been stilled.

The man paused before he slowly lowered his hands and walked into the void, darkness engulfing him whole.

_I’m ……._

* * *

Aien opened her bleary eyes. It took her a while to focus on her surroundings. She took in the white walls of the roof, the silence that filled the room, and the sudden exhaustion that was hitting her body. Her hands lay weakly by her side. She turned her head slowly to the side, to see Tobio sitting on the floor, near the wall of her room, his head pressed against the wall and eyes shut.

_Tobio-kun?_

She looked down at her own body and noticed her clothes were crinkled and there was a dull ache that ran through her body. On closer inspection, her left arm hurt the most. She touched it lightly.

_What happened to me?_

She noticed she was lying on the floor on a futon, with blankets around her and a small pillow beside her head. She moved the warm cloth that was on her head and slowly sat up. She immediately clutched her head in her hands, as a flurry of images flashed in her mind. She closed her eyes tightly as the pain in her head increased for a few seconds. Her mind felt like a blank canvas, none of the images in her mind made any sense.

_Is this what I saw when…..when I had..._

She only noticed the hand around her shoulders after a few minutes. Kiki-san smiled kindly at her and said in a soft voice. “It was a mild attack.”

Aien felt the guilt almost choke her. The realization of what must have happened was more painful than her pulsating left arm. She hadn’t taken her medications. She hadn’t followed through with her routine despite her promises. She had caused trouble for her aunt. This was why she had fallen into one of her Visual Attacks. Hallucinations which drove her mad…. She choked as she tried to apologize, her throat feeling dry.

Kiki-san continued to whisper kind words, hugging her gently.

Aien was trembling from the after-effects of the attack. A few tears rolled down her face. It took her a few moments to calm down and finally form a coherent sentence.

“H-How long?”

“Around 10 minutes. As soon as the attack was over…” She trailed off as she tucked Aien’s messed up hair, behind her ears. “ You did wake up but fell asleep immediately.” She looked at her watch. “It’s been about two hours since then.”

Aien’s eyes widened. She still felt tired. Every attack drained the energy out of her already frail body. She rubbed her left arm, unconsciously. A surge of pain caused her to shudder involuntarily.

“Dear? I’ve made you a warm concoction. It will calm your nerves.” She held a mug in her hands, and slowly brought it to Aien’s lips. Aien looked at the cup apprehensively.

Kiki san laughed, “It’s a few herbs I mixed together.”

Since Aien’s hands were still weak, she was grateful for the help.

Aien sipped slowly, still silent. Her stupid mistake could have led to worse. She was lucky that it had only been a mild attack.

After she was done drinking, Kiki-san adjusted the futon. They must have shifted her bed at the time of the attack, seeing it to be less harmful for her to lay down on the ground. They had also moved all the objects near her bed so that even if her limbs thrashed around, she’d not be harmed.

Tobio was fast asleep in the corner of Aien’s room. Kiki san followed Aien’s gaze. And explained to her how he had been the first to hear the sudden cries from her room. He’d been finding it hard to fall asleep with the excitement of the upcoming match. After alerting his mother, who had had an early shift, He had sat in her room to alert Kiki-san if she had another attack. But from the looks of it, he’d fallen asleep too.

Kiki-san made sure that Aien was fast asleep, giving her a light peck on her head before she glanced at her drooling son who had drifted into a deep slumber, his black hair flopping downwards.

She smiled to herself, not wanting to disturb him either.

* * *

~Aoba Johsai Volleyball Court~

Volleyball is a game of precision. It’s a game of Strategy. **Six**. Six is the number of players on the court at a time. Six is the number that can make or break the game.

_Oikawa! OVER HERE!_

**Setter**. The setter is comparable to the chef de cuisine. He awakens the latent talent in each member just like the lead in a dance, setting motion to a graceful and natural performance. Indeed, the Getafix of the modern Age- brewing up a potion to enhance any partaker.

_Maki!! NICE!_

_Iwa-chan!_

**Wing Spikers**. The Guard bees of a hive. Always on the defense. They strengthen the team from two ends and protect the team from incoming attacks.

WATARI!! NOW!

The libero of the team is the one that prevents the ball from touching the ground and is normally the saving grace of the team. They are known for their reflexes and receiving skills. The guardian angel of any team. As a wise person once said, _my hand thickness might be 2 cm but that 2 cm difference from the ground is the Ace’s lifeline._

_Leave it to me, you guys!_

A killer serve can set the mood for the team even leading to a service ace and an overall lift in the spirit of the team.

Oikawa positioned his body in a pose that defied the laws of aerodynamics of a human body. He jumped into the air as he slammed the ball to the other side. The ball flew with immense force and speed and then slammed into the net, falling into his side of the court.

“Oh, Sorry guys” he sheepishly ran his hands through his hair.

“Mo ippon”

The game continued with a few more serves. Oikawa watched their every move carefully, adding corrections as he went along. This was the formation, the Coach and he had deemed best. But it still needed tweaking.

“Kindaichi, a little to the left!”

Kindaichi, who was too near the baseline, moved back to the fray just in time to block a serve from the other side.

Oikawa lunged forward, to send a spike to Matsu. All of a sudden his feet twisted as his world spun. His eyes glazed over as his head whacked the floor. Was it from the lack of rest or the lack of food, either way, a loud thud echoed in the volleyball room, as Oikawa crumpled into a motionless ball. The team were usually veterans when it came to dealing with injuries. But seeing their captain collapse, froze everyone to their spots. The coach was the first to break out of the shock and rush over.

His sudden motion snapped everyone back to reality. The team followed suit, panic ensuing amongst them. Matsu felt for Oikawa’s pulse while Hanamaki deftly propped his head up. Coach Itaharu grabbed a bottle of water and sprinkled a few drops on Oikawa’s face.

Oikawa woke up coughing, his head felt light- not the heaviness, he had grown accustomed to. He froze when he realized he was lying on the ground. Shocked, he immediately sat up.

Iwaizumi clicked his tongue, “I’ll take him to the nurse.”

Oikawa who still had a shocked look on his face, raised his hands. “I’m fine.. I’m okay. Let’s continue with the game.” After those words, he started to stand up but a sharp pain shot through his left ankle, dropping him back onto the ground. He cursed under his breath.

“Iwaizumi, take him to the nurse_

“I’M FINE! I HAVE TO PLAY!” Oikawa’s eyes had reddened in anger. His mind was racing with the sudden fear of being unable to play.

“Oikawa.” Iwaizumi started quietly.

Oikawa shoved Hanamaki, who had placed his hand to support him. He had a wild look on his face as he stated firmly. “I have to play!”

Iwaizumi gave Matsu a look, who immediately gathered all the team members and took them away from where Oikawa lay, leaving only the coach and Iwaizumi. The structure and semblance of the team would collapse if they were witness to the breakdown of the Captain of the team.

Oikawa stared at the ground, frustrated. The coach lowered his voice and spoke to Iwaizumi who nodded, wordlessly before he left the two on the floor of the court. The coach knew Iwaizumi was enough to handle Oikawa’s demons.

“Oikawa. Listen to me.”

Oikawa turned his head away, angrily. “I have to play. I can’t rest now. I have to.”

The fear of the ordinary. The fear of being normal. The fear that one would never be able to reach the heights prodigies do. The fear that all your hard work would never match up to a gifted person’s inbuilt skillset. Oh, Oikawa was no stranger to these feelings. It was something he struggled with every day. The darks vines that entangled his mind, strangling him slowly.

He was trembling slightly in rage.

“OIKAWA.” Iwaizumi shouted suddenly. “Don’t start this again. I ??? I THIS. I THAT. Do you hear yourself?!”

Oikawa flinched but the anger in him at his injury and at his sudden weakness coursed wildly, causing him to clench his fists until there were small dents in his palm from the pressure.

“Don’t forget that we are a team. Stop thinking about him. We will defeat him this time.” His voice was still loud but not as harsh. “A team of six_”

“……is stronger than one person.” Oikawa finished quietly. He turned back to face Iwaizumi, his face flushed from the emotional fluctuations.

Iwaizumi crouched beside him, “Damn straight.” He began to lift his friend up, “Can you balance on one foot? Or do I have to carry you?”

“Stop it, Iwa-chan. I’m not a child. I can walk.” He slapped his hand away and struggled for a while to stand up.

Iwaizumi sighed, watching him wobble about for a bit before he grabbed him up, supported his arms around his shoulder, and began walking, ignoring the angry protests. He glanced at his friend,as he quickened his pace to the Nurse’s office, half carrying- half dragging him. Oikawa was not himself, his face taut with emotions from the sudden injury.

His arms tightened around Oikawa, causing the latter to flinch “….Iwa chan”

“Shut it.”

Reaching the nurse’s office, he roughly placed him on one of the infirmary’s beds. Nurse Chihiro was sorting through some documents. She frowned as she saw them enter.

“Now what?”

Despite her harsh words, she came over and quickly checked Oikawa’s temperature, his pulse as well as his injured foot. After a bit of poking about, she sighed.

Oikawa was waiting eagerly for her verdict.

Very coldly, she looked at the two of them. Pointing at Oikawa, “You stay right there.” She gestured at Iwaizumi to follow her. Coach Itaharu had been skulking outside the infirmary. On seeing the two of them step out, he followed in silence.

Closing her office door, she looked gravely at the two of them.

“Dehydration! Exhaustion! A sprain! I don’t understand why the third years can’t just focus on your studies, especially if it’s at the cost of your health.” A strict voice scolded.

“Matron_”

“Don’t get me started, Iwaizumi. I’m constantly treating your team’s injuries. It’s their absolute ignorance towards the right nutrients that ticks me off. ” She continued angrily. “One of these days, I’ll be signing your obituary or worse giving you a life sentence because of an unhealable injury.”

Iwaizumi didn’t dare meet her eyes. She was the school’s dietician and nurse, mostly hired for the sports teams. Though she reprimanded them constantly, she had really adapted to taking care of the team through its various injuries.

Coach Itaharu had maintained his silence because he knew better than to oppose the matron.

She didn’t spare him, turning to him, “I think you should take your responsibility more seriously. This boy looks like he’s been starving.” She slammed her arms on her desk, making the Coach and Iwa flinch. “I don’t care if you win the nationals or whatever, I want my children to be healthy and happy.”

The coach had his head low, “W-will he be fine?”

She glared at him. “I will not allow him to play for a week.”

Iwaizumi looked up, startled. “ B-But, tomorrow we_” he stopped immediately seeing the murderous look in her eyes.

Coach sighed. “It can’t be helped.”

After a few more harsh words from the Matron, Coach Itaharu and Iwaizumi walked out of her office, terrified.

They stopped outside the door to the ward, where Oikawa was currently resting.

“Looks like we’ll have to take on KSH without him.” Coach sighed.

Iwaizumi didn’t look too fazed. “We’re a good team. We’ll hold our ground.”

Coach nodded, patting Iwaizumi lightly on the back. He walked away, his back hunched over.

Iwaizumi frowned before he entered the room. Oikawa had his eyes closed. His cause for the sudden dizziness and loss of consciousness was from exhaustion and dehydration. He had also lightly sprained his leg. After a bit of poking around, the matron deemed it not serious enough to have to be rushed to a hospital.

Sighing, Iwaizumi sat beside his bed and put on his earphones, and began mentally plotting out the plan Oikawa had discussed with him. They’d have to play without their captain But Iwaizumi, though annoyed with the change of plans, wasn't very stressed.

_Our team is strong._

He called up Matsu and got him up to speed on everything that had happened. He told him to continue on with the formation they had decided and keep practicing. Matsu listened quietly. The tension was palpable.

Iwaizumi sighed. He wasn’t one to let a situation get to him but to think they’d be so helpless without Oikawa….

_Our team is strong?_

“Iwa chan”

Iwaizumi looked up from his planning, expressionless. “I thought you finally kicked the bucket.”

Oikawa smiled, his cheeks pale. Propping himself up, he ran his hands through his hair and sighed, “I won’t let this hap_”

“You almost lost control again.” Iwaizumi interrupted him.

Oikawa groaned. “I don’t know what came over me.” He slapped his forehead in annoyance.

Iwaizumi, on the other hand still wore a rather cold face. “ You’re too focused on beating Ushijima that_

“It’s not just that. I-I …” his voice broke off. He clenched his fists. “Practise..hard work…that’s all I have. I am not a prodigy.” He looked into Iwaizumi’s black eyes which now had an unreadable emotion in them. “I won’t lose to any of them. Not again.”

“Oikawa.”

Iwaizumi paused before continuing. “ It doesn’t matter how talented they are. Be it Kageyama or Ushijima. Nobody can beat you when it comes to your understanding of the game.” He glared at his friend. “You just focus on getting better.”

Oikawa raised his hands in protest. “I’m sure I can play tomorrow.”

“Shut up. You heard Matron.”

“Hmmph.”

“You’ll end up having an amputation.”

With his elbows propping him up, Oikawa leaned forward. “You sound so worried, Iwa chan. It’s cute.”

Iwaizumi flinched, controlling his hands from slamming the pillow onto his friends teasing face. “I should have dragged you on the floor.”

Iwaizumi turned around on hearing a bunch of murmurs. He pulled open the Infirmary’s door. The rest of the Aoba Johsai team were standing outside with sheepish expressions. Hanamaki didn’t meet Iwaizumi’s angry eyes. They were all aware of Iwaizumi’s instructions to continue on with practice as usual. But their concern for their Captain’s health was what had caused this rowdy gathering.

“Guyss, don’t look so sad.” Oikawa laughed, peeping from where he lay. “I just need to rest.”

No one said anything for a while, until Yahaba spoke, “But tomorrow….”

“A team of 6 is stronger than one person.” Oikawa and Iwa said softly. They turned to each other in surprise, a ghost of a smile on the former’s face.

Iwaizumi sighed, “It’s just a practice match. Nothing to stress about.” He started walking out of the room, “Let’s not crowd here. Matron will be furious.”

Turning to Oikawa, “Rest up. If I see you stress yourself again, I'll resign and cheer for Karasuno.”

“HUH IWA CHAN??” he coughed, “HIDOIII”

And just like that, Oikawa was back to his usual self. He was grateful that his sprain was a minor injury that would heal with a day's rest.His leg still hurt and he was going to have to rely on Iwaizumi to get back home. He lay back down, his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling of the infirmary. He was filled with determination to get better and play Karasuno, refusing to let this injury hold him back. 

_Tobio chan, I’m curious to see how you’ve grown._

* * *

~The day of the match~ 

Tobio combed his hair roughly, his nerves were lit with excitement for the match that they’d be playing. He was going to be facing off against his old team- the team that had treated him like an outcast. He flinched, as he jabbed the comb into his scalp. Glancing at the time, he grabbed his satchel, before rushing into the dining room. He was running late as usual.

“Tobio, don’t eat your food so fast. You’ll choke.” His mother reprimanded.

He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and spoke between mouthfuls of oats, “I’m late.”

His mother rolled her eyes, “Aien will be in school today. Check up on her when you get to Aoba Johsai.”

“Mmmpghr”

He slammed his bowl down, gave his mom a quick wave, and dashed out of the house. Holding his satchel tight, he began his run towards Karasuno. He wasn’t nervous, on the contrary, he actually felt a sense of calm. He was confident with the attacks he had practiced with Hinata. His mind drifted to the orange-haired boy, who had been unnaturally nervous yesterday, going as far as to wear Tanaka-senpai’s pants. Tobio frowned. He made a promise to himself that he’d beat Hinata up if he still seemed nervous. A foolproof plan, indeed.

On reaching the gates of Karasuno, he paused to catch his breath, feeling a sense of pride seep in.

_Today is the day, I win my first match as a setter for Karasuno!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this actually made me sad because I really feel for Oikawa and how he’s always felt that no matter how hard he works he can't ever beat a prodigy. GOSH, HE'S MY FAV CHAR.  
> And, yes yes, The next chapter will have some spicy stuff uwu.
> 
> Love,  
> Hazel  
> P.S - HAIKYUU S4P2 HYPE SQUAD WHERE Y'ALL AT!


	7. Charms and Ducks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The AJ vs KSH match is over!

Aien yawned as she headed to her next class, ‘Modern Japanese’. She was feeling a lot better since her last attack, having taken a day off. She had escaped with just a mild bruise that had turned a beautiful purplish-blue, from knocking her arm against the post of her bed. Doctor Edward ran the usual diagnostics to check her neural activity but after the attack, her brain activity had regained normalcy. He had advised, in his kind voice,to set more reminders and increase her meditation time. This had been an attack caused by her own forgetfulness. It was a sore memory for Aien as she recalled falling asleep, stressed, and pining for her old life and her father and everything Nagoya had to offer. 

_I can't allow this to happen again..._

Aien began to take down notes as her teacher droned on about the right usage of grammar. She knew this was an important class for her, especially as she was interested in writing and had planned on majoring in Journalism in the distant future. It would also be an aid for her at her part-time job at ‘The Initiative’.

Despite the known significance, Aien felt her thoughts drift away, to the whistling winds outside the classroom. A few red squirrels chittered on one of the branches of an old, Oak tree that grew in their school's backyard. The branches swayed gently with the breeze. The squirrels seemed to be tittering fiercely with one another as if arguing a point. Amidst the tittering, she was distracted by a few voices. She leaned a little closer to the window and noticed a few boys in gym clothes. She flinched as she recognized the wavy brown mane and the cheerful, casual voice that seemed to resonate in her ears in a lingering manner. He was strutting down the path with a few more boys, all in gym clothes and was talking to them in a light manner, but it was obvious that his words had a calming effect on the rest of them.

_Oh..right..today is the match…Tobio kun vs Aoba Johsai_

She sighed and turned her attention away from the window and focused on her Kanji.

_"In Japanese, we have two types of irregular verbs….kuru and suru. We used to have a lot more, but with time it has been reduced to these two."_

Aien propped her head up with her elbows, pretending to listen to her teacher drone on about the pioneers in the revolution of Japanese grammar but her mind kept flitting to everything but irregular verbs.

Kiki-san had told Aien to inform the Matron about her recent attack. As she’d be spending a lot of time in school, the matron had to be informed about the status of her health from time to time.

The day went by quickly, and it was soon time for homeroom. Aien packed her bags and headed towards the infirmary wing of the school. She entered the wardroom and spotted Nurse Chihiro talking to another student. She nodded at Aien and gestured at her to take a seat on one of the beds. The Infirmary room was a simple one, with just four clean, white, pristine beds. Even the light in the room gave the place a warm atmosphere. A few fresh peonies lay in a jar near one of the beds.

Aien glanced at the boy the Matron was talking to. He was hunched over and nodding. His uniform was baggy and unkempt and his school bag lay at his feet. The feature that stood out the most for Aien was a strand of hair that stuck out from his head like a wisp. She didn’t try to listen in on their conversation, as she understood medical privacy. Instead, she fiddled with the sheets on the infirmary bed, filled with a sudden urge to lie down on the soft, spotless sheets.

“Aien, I’ll grab your files, I left it in my office.” Matron said in a brisk tone making Aien jump up in surprise. “ Give me a few minutes.” She pulled the ward door open and left.

Aien was left alone with the other student who turned away from her and lay on his side, with his back towards her.

He hadn’t removed his shoes when he had laid on the bed, which made Aien question her previous stand on the immaculacy of the sheets. All desire to lay down on the bed had vanished into thin air.

Aien rocked her legs back and forth, she wasn’t very curious about the other student in the room.

_I would not want anyone to ask me about my attacks._

Just as she was remembering the deal, Tobio-kun and her had made over who’d cook dinner based on the results of the match he was currently playing, The infirmary door suddenly swung open. A strong gust of wind blew Aien’s hair backward, a few strands flying into her mouth. The boy with the shoes on clean sheets didn’t budge, his posture as stiff as before.

After clumsily moving her hair from her face and in a very non-elegant manner, removing the hair from her mouth, Aien looked up, her hazel eyes meeting his caramel brown eyes.

She froze before turning away, _ugh it’s him_.

He sauntered into the room his hands tucked into his pockets, a smirk etched on his face.

“Oh, Matron isn’t here!!” He exclaimed as he hopped onto the bed opposite Aien, turning his torso to face her.

“Aien-chan wasn’t it??” 

“mmm”. She shifted slightly.

He laughed lightly, “Where did she go??”

Aien was still trying to settle her hair from the unruly wind. She paused mid-way at his question, he was gazing intently at her. The gaze left goosebumps on her pale skin. It made her recall the deadlock they'd been stuck in, not too long ago.

“Um..Her office..” 

She flinched as Oikawa suddenly appeared right next to her, his reflexes almost cat-like. Aien almost choked as a scream built in her throat, her arms moved forward defensively and just as she was about to shove him backwards, he yanked at something that was dangling at her wrist. A soft clink sounded in the room, as the charm broke off from the bracelet. Silent Wisp boy lay still on the other bed, ignoring the other two.

Oikawa grabbed the charm and backed away a little.

“Photosensitive epilepsy?” He read slowly from the doggy tag he had pulled from her bracelet, hesitating as the words formed on his lips. He had seen the silver gleaming slightly and had reacted instinctively. A part of him regretted his impulsive behavior.

“GIVE IT BACK!!!!” She reached out to grab the tag, her eyes livid with rage, but he held it out of her reach with ease.

“That explains the eye patch.” His voice didn’t hold any remorse at having broken the tag from her bracelet. He turned it over in his hands, looking at the emergency contact details.

Dr.Edward had given Aien her tag a week ago. It was just a precaution; in case she had an unprecedented attack. He had also informed her about a new set of bracelets with medical chips that would be coming to their hospital in a few months.

Aien was trembling with rage, “h-how dare yo_” She had no idea what came over her, but a sudden childish spell overtook her and she kicked out at his left leg with all the strength she could muster, causing him to wince in pain.

“Oh for the love of God. NOT MY LEFT LEG!” He dropped his arms to grab at his foot, his eyes tearing a little.

Aien did not budge. She grabbed his hand and pried the tag from his clenched fist. “THEN DON’T TAKE MY STUFF!” She yelled out, her voice wavering a little towards the end.

_Did I just attack a senior?_

The wisp boy shifted in his bed finally showing signs of Sentience.

After a few minutes of yelling, they both sat at corners of the room, one cuddling her tag in her arms, the other holding his leg in annoyance. Both refused to acknowledge each other’s presence, Aien going as far as to clean her badge as if it were contaminated. She vigorously wiped it on her school blazer.

“GOD DAMN If I can’t play in today’s match, I’ll make you pay for it.” He huffed to himself, his body turned away from her.

Aien scowled, the frown giving her a rather comical expression- rather like a startled kitten.

“Why did you get hurt in the first place?” Her fingers struggled to hook her charm back onto the bracelet, causing soft clink sounds every time it missed the hook.

“Why? You into that kind of stuff?”

“HUH??” Aien’s face turned beet red, “W-what is wr_

She broke mid-sentence as her arm was not-so-gently grabbed in the air. His hands were warm on her skin, and his eyes had a cold light in them. With artistic grace, Oikawa fitted the tag back onto the bracelet’s hook on his first attempt. Aien was frozen in place, half her face covered by her bangs, the other half, beet red. 

Oikawa burst out laughing, as he let go of her hand. “See, you look better with a little color in your skin, you were looking way too pale when you entered.”

“it’s not like you’re some beauty yourself.” She said under her breath. 

_He held my hand again. HE HELD MY HAND AGAIN._

Her brain was shooting warning signs, and the phrase repeated over and over in her mind. She could only imagine how red her face was. 

Oikawa on the other hand looked as calm as always. He feigned surprised at her statement. “I’m sure a lot of people disagree.” He flipped his hair in a teasing manner, “I’m somewhat of a king amongst these white halls of Seijoh.”

Aien, “ A king doesn’t only look like one.”

Somebody cleared their throat behind Oikawa’s tall figure. He casually moved away from Aien, who finally took in a deep breath of relief, her face still on fire.

“Oikawa, I will not have you traumatize the people who enter the infirmary.” Matron stated firmly.

“I was barely traumatizing her.” he protested. “I’m here to show you that my leg is okay”, And he lifted the hem of his pants up to his knee, displaying a light bruise.

“One week's rest.” She firmly said, barely glancing at his leg. She walked over to Aien and handed over her files that she had borrowed from her.

“How do you feel after your last attack?” She questioned Aien. “I’ve spoken to your teachers; you’ll be given leverage if you have to miss classes.”

Aien shook her head, “I missed my meds that day. That’s..That's what caused it.” She looked up, her eyes calmer. “I am alright now.”

Oikawa had been listening intently. Though he had mocked her pallid countenance just a few moments ago, he had figured that it must be something serious for Matron Chihiro to behave as she was.

“Oikawa why are you still here?”

He smiled, “Please let me play today.”

Matron sighed, “Do whatever you want. But mark my words, I will not treat your leg if it worsens.”

Oikawa nodded, the light returning to his eyes. He knew that the Matron's words weren't as harsh as it sounded. He winked at Aien before rushing out of the infirmary.

“Don’t mind him, he’s just a tease.”

Aien found her eyes still staring at the door, her heart beating a little faster.

_It’s because of all the yelling._

* * *

After her meeting with the Matron, Aien headed out of the school doors. She glanced back at the volleyball room as she reached the gates. She wouldn’t be walking back with Kindaichi as he’d be playing in the practice match too. Her heart, felt heavy as she remembered that Tobio was supposed to meet her before his match. She had been curious to see the team that he had joined, having met only Hinata from his team. But, because of her meeting, the timings had clashed. A part of her wanted to peep in on the match, but the embarrassment of the last time was still fresh in her mind.

_They’re probably half done with the match too._

At the entrance to her school, she noticed a bus that stood out from the Aoba Johsai buses. A few students in the AJ uniforms were crowded around their buses. Aien walked a little closer to the odd bus that didn’t have the AJ label.

_This must be the bus that Tobio kun came in._

Laughter from the students who were near the buses reached Aien’s ears. From where she was standing, their voices reached her loud and clear.

“I’m telling you, Karasuno ain’t got any charm anymore.”

“Except that hot manager!!!”

“OMG YESSSSS”

“ Speaking of hot girls….Hina and her friends are cheering for Oikawa inside.”

“Gosh! I’m so envious of him.. Did you know? Oikawa and_

Aien walked away, passing by the group in a huff. Her fists were clenched, she was furious with how they had looked down on the Karasuno team.

As she walked towards her part-time job, she prayed silently that Tobio’s team would win this match. Her fingers subconsciously touched her charm, the same charm that had been both broken and fixed by the same, suave person who would be standing on the opposite side of her prayers.

It didn’t take her long to reach ‘The Initiative’. It was a simple establishment that was located on the first floor of an old building. A small board outside read ‘The Initiative’. 

They ran a small-time Journal for the town’s people. It was a conglomeration ranging from the latest trends, games, hacks, skincare, new establishments in town, and the like. Since it was a magazine that helped the locals out, telling them the places with the best deals, educating them on new technologies that were going around in Japan, it was popular amongst the locals. It was owned by a young man named Connen. 

There were six people involved in the team. Writing, Editing, Formatting, Printing. The photographs were provided by a photographer who dropped his work over every week. There was a vacancy for the editorial role since their current editor was pregnant and had moved to her parents’ place in Tokyo.

Aien’s current role was to assist Maya-san, the writer, and help edit her articles. Since she was new to the role of editing, her edits were double-checked by Connen, the organizer as well as the head of the printing of the journals.

She hadn’t been assigned to any section of the magazine. Instead, she was made to read through each section to understand how each article was written. They had a bulletin board that was packed with highlights for that week’s magazine.

Aien peered over her work, it had just been a few days since she’d started working here. The atmosphere was always calm until it was publishing day, which were most Saturdays. Maya ate a cheese bun while she wrote about, A famous traveling circus, based in Spain that was planning to visit the Miyagi prefecture in a months’ time – Spiralis was well known for its gymnastic routines.

Although Aien’s co-workers were a friendly and laid-back lot, she hadn’t spent enough time with them and so, she didn’t know much about them. She knew that there was one more member whom she hadn’t met yet. Maya had told her when she found out Aien’s age. He was someone who helped with the writing of articles too but since his college was based in Tokyo, he only came over on weekends if he was not burdened with work. According to Maya, he was busy with his school clubs and had rarely been visiting ever since his second year had started.

Aien was curious to meet this boy since everyone seemed to speak so highly of him, especially stressing on how kind he was.

Her thoughts were soon taken up by the woes of the journalism world as she played around with words, reading through the well-written phrases of Maya san’s take on the Towns latest Electronic shop and its exorbitant prices, calling them out for the latter, rather harshly.

* * *

“W-E W-O-N!! W-E W-O-N!!” Hinata shouted as he marched around the dining table and waved his hands up in the air in a celebratory manner.

Aien sighed, this had been going on for the last hour. Tobio had reached home at around seven, sweaty and tired and had not quit grumbling and explaining, apologetically, over and over again about how Hinata had invited himself over.

But, her sighing had nothing to do with Hinata’s enthusiasm, rather it was caused by the marinated duck that was steaming in the wok. Aien and Tobio’s faces were flushed with the heat from the kitchen. They had prepped the duck the previous night, by marinating it with a mixture of baking soda, salt, pepper, 5-spice powder, soy sauce, and brown sugar.

What had proved most tedious for them was the separation of the skin from the flesh, because under no circumstance were they supposed to break the skin. The separation of skin from the duck was essential because it allowed the duck to gain a crispy and flavorsome exterior. After struggling with the tenacity and stubbornness of the skin for a long time, they had managed to separate most of it. After this, they had then proceeded to pat dry the whole duck. This was the safest step and the only step where Hinata had been allowed to help. It had ended with Aien yelling at both the boys for starting a fight over who dried the duck better.

After the duck was dry, they had placed it in a wok with boiling water. This was the step they were currently at, which was nowhere near the end of the recipe.

It was half-past eight, and the boys were hungry and irritable and Aien was on her last straw too, but she was determined to serve this duck as planned.

“I think we can take it out?” Aien gripped the wok firmly. The initial plan that they had was to recreate the famous Peking duck, a recipe Aien had found on Pinstance, the social media Platform but the recipe had creatively transformed as they cooked leaving Aien unsure of how it was going to turn out.

Tobio ladled more water on the surface of the steaming duck. He nodded at her, as they transferred the duck with steady hands onto the kitchen surface. Using layers of Aluminum foil, they deftly wrapped the duck in it.

Hinata peeped into the kitchen, with a gloomy cloud hovering above his head, “Can I do something?? I’m bored of singing.”

“Every time he enters, I feel like roasting him instead of the duck.” Tobio growled.

“Can you turn the oven on?” Aien called back from the wrapping, ignoring the chide.

Hinata nodded, gingerly switching it on. He stared at the various knobs on the front, gleefully. “OOO, what do I turn it to??”

“425 degrees please!” Aien transferred the wrapped duck onto the roasting pan.

Tobio had moved onto making the flat pancakes that were to go with the duck, rolling out the dough carefully. The dough had been prepped, earlier by Aien on her arrival from school.

After placing the duck into the oven, Aien collapsed at the dining table, exhausted. Hinata and Tobio sat opposite her, equally exhausted. Their exhaustion stemmed from the match that they had won earlier and the cooking had just enhanced that.

“Sorry..you guys must be really hungry..” Aien said softly. The deal Aien and Tobio had made was that if he had won the match, he’d cook for her, but Aien knew it’d be faster if they were both working on it.

Hinata smiled, “It’s gonna be worth the wait!”

“So, How um how was the match?”

The rest of the roasting time went by with the description of the match. Hinata spoke of how their “special attack” was what had given them their final points, taking everyone by surprise. Tobio had joined in speaking about how he was finally able to serve the way he’s always wanted to. He glowed as he described how he set for his first match for the KSH team. They also spoke about an old set of teammates who’d be joining them soon. They had apparently been suspended which made Aien wonder what kind of delinquents were a part of the Karasuno team. Hinata began an argument on how he was the original ace and no matter who joined, that wouldn't change what he felt. 

“A prodigy like Kageyama? I hope he has a nicer personality.” Hinata added, speaking about the Libero who was one of the suspended teammates and simultaneously, ducking from the sudden punch that Tobio had thrown. He further, gushed on about the grand king who had a killer serve, his eyes sparkling in awe. The atmosphere in the room changed and Tobio sat a little straighter, his face had a grave expression on it. Aien had been listening silently till then but at the mention of,

“Grand king?”

“Oikawa san ", Tobio said in a quieter voice. “We have yet to see him play an entire match.”

“Next time, we’ll play the whole match against him! And still, win, NEH KAGEYAMA??” Hinata shouted emphatically.

Tobio, “Learn how to receive properly before you make big claims.”

Aien, despite herself, couldn’t help but admire Oikawa-san, _Oh so he played even though his leg was injured._

She asked casually, making sure that her expression didn’t give away the curiosity inside of her “oh, so he’s a good player?”

“GOOD?” Tobio exclaimed. “I learned almost everything I know from watching him.”

“I have goosebumps!” Hinata shoved his hand into Tobio’s face. “SEE?”

The oven bell rang out, shrilly pulling Aien back to reality. She rushed over to check on the duck. The smell of roast duck filled the house, making the boys sigh with the relief of finally eating dinner. Aien carefully removed the foil that was wrapped around the duck, and with a fork stabbed at the duck for a while to ensure that the meat would be well cooked, before shutting it back into the oven.

“Just a little longer!”

The boys groaned, all the sudden relief at the thought of a scrumptious meal vanishing, leaving in its place, two gloomy souls. Tobio slumped against his chair. “We should have just had ramen.”

Hinata punched Tobio lightly, “Don’t be mean! She’s cooking for us!”

“Why are you even here?” he questioned weakly.

Another thirty minutes passed, the oven timer rang again. This time Tobio marched towards the oven, “I’m eating it even if it's raw.”

Aien rushed in front of the oven, afraid he’d do as he said. Her eyes widened as she noticed the wild look of a man starved for food.

“MATTE! IT NEEDS TO REST FOR 10.”

“Aien, I will die.” He pleaded, his usually flattened black hair, now stood frazzled and messy, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked taller than usual, sending a few shivers down Aien’s spine.

She quickly turned towards the duck, and after a little prodding slowly placed it on the counter. The heavenly incense seemed to rejuvenate everyone in the house. Tobio mustered whatever energy he had left and began to make the mandarin pancakes with the dough he had rolled out. He soon had a pile of warm flat pancakes that were slightly greased with sesame oil, piled on a plate- some of which were slightly burnt.

After letting it rest for ten minutes, Aien positioned her arms carefully, praying to the gods of duck carving as she did. With steady hands, she lowered her arms to began the carving while Tobio held the duck down.

“YOUR EYES! AIEN!” Tobio gasped when he noticed her eyes were tightly shut and her arms raised high, the tip of the knife glinting in the light of the kitchen.

“W-H-O I-S T-H-E BEST A-C-E?!?!?!? THAT’S ME THAT’S ME!!” The voice drifted happily into the kitchen. Aien hadn’t allowed him in as she was scared he’d end up angering Tobio and in his current state, Aien feared for the orange-haired boy's life. 

After carefully slicing through the duck, delight was evident in their faces as they saw the welcoming pink of the meat, which indicated the duck was cooked to perfection.

“IS THE QUACK READY?!?” Hinata exclaimed in excitement, peeping from Aien’s side.

“DO YOU WANT ME TO THROW HIM OUT?” Tobio asked through gritted teeth.

The moment the food was placed on the table, all manners were forgotten as the boys dug through the meal, not saying a word as they devoured the juicy Peking duck, that had retained its natural flavor and was further enhanced with the hoisin dipping sauce.

Aien, herself, ate her food faster than she usually would, enjoying the taste. She had been craving Peking duck for months and to be able to taste it again had filled her with a joy that only comfort food could bring. The only sounds that filled the room were the clinks from the cutlery, and the sounds of food being gobbled.

It was only after a good amount of time had passed did they take a break from the food.

Hinata looked up from his plate in satisfaction, “Aien, this…this was the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”

Aien smiled, rather happy with the flavors herself. It wasn’t exactly the Peking authentic taste but the skin was crispy and the meat well cooked, so she wasn’t disappointed.

“Okay, you can leave now.” Tobio said, pointing at the door.

“Tobio-kun, Manners! ” Aien said, shocked at his rudeness.

Hinata who was busy helping himself to the duck didn’t even budge. “He’s mmmphghr alwmmmrg like that.”

Aien gave Tobio a look before she continued speaking.

“You can stay over if it’s too late to go home.”

“Oh, yeah I do live kinda far. I’ll call my mom up.” He hopped from his chair and walked towards the landline, “Can I use this to call?”

Aien signaled with a thumbs up and looked at her empty plate. She was stuffed, all the energy that she had lost from the past few days of stress and tension, were healed by the duck.

Tobio glared at Aien, “Where is he gonna sleep? In your room?”

Aien ignored his comment. “You need to be friendlier.”

“I’m fine the way I am.” He stabbed his duck with such force, that the piece flew up in the air and landed on the floor.

“I’ll clean it.” Aien said, excusing herself from the table and taking her plate with her.

“THIS IS A BAD IDEA.” He shouted after her.

Aien smirked to herself as she started to clean up the mess from their cooking. The boys joined her soon enough, pushing her out of the kitchen in unison. They refused to let her clean up as she was the one who cooked. Aien was worried to let them clean without supervision, as they were bound to start fighting if left alone for too long. But, she was tired and was craving a warm bath. She was still on tenterhooks after her last attack.

An hour later, Aien stepped out in the hall, having bathed herself and taken her meds. There was a scary silence that met her ears.

_What happened?_

She walked up to the kitchen, only to see the plates all washed and dried, the platform clean and sparkling, the wastes segregated, the leftover duck had been packed and placed in the fridge with messy labels. But there was still no sign of the magical helper elves who had done a perfect job.

Aien walked over to the living room, where the Tv played quietly in the background, a dim light cast a warm glow to the room.

And there on the couch lay two disheveled figures, dead to the world.

She moved closer to switch the tv off without disturbing the two sleeping beaus. Tobio was on the left end of the couch, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Hinata had his legs kicking Tobio’s arm and was fast asleep on the right end of the couch, his entire torso comfortably fit into the couch. It was Tobio who stuck out in an uncomfortable position. By the looks of it, the boys had changed out of their gym clothes.

Aien carefully moved Hinata’s arm which was raised up into the air. She walked into the closet near the living room and got out the warm blankets they’d stored for guests and covered the two boys with it before she took a photo of the two. Tobio snored, his mouth open slightly.

“You guys did good today”, Aien whispered before leaving the two.

She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, her dreams were calm, her mind was quiet, her thoughts flowed smoothly, giving herself over to the arms of the cold night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this was my longest chapter yet...LOL , I've had an awfully busy week, so I'm sorry about the late upload but I hope the length makes up for it. Also, I shall be introducing my second favorite character next chapter so xoxoxo Looking forward to that yay  
> Have a fancy week y'all  
> Love  
> Hazel


	8. Cinnamon Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day before the fated reunion of Nekoma and Karasuno - Aien's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Character information:  
> Maya-san : Writer/Editor at The Initiative  
> Sora-san : In charge of formatting and editing at The Initiative  
> Connen : Owns The Initiative, helps with the organizing and Printing  
> Eric : Intern /Writer  
> Mila- Gathers intel for the magazine and edits photos when she's not out interviewing people.  
> Tenzin (Not introduced yet) - Submits Photos for the magazine. Mostly MIA.

Six days had gone by since Tobio had left for the Karasuno Training Facility, leaving Aien alone for the most part. Aien had prepared herself for a week of silence in the Kageyama household since most of its members had unpredictable schedules. To her pleasant surprise, Tobio faithfully rang her up every night, though they didn’t really get to converse much as it was mostly Hinata screaming through the phone.

Hinata had really taken to Aien’s personality and kept expressing his surprise that such a kind person was related to such a hideous monster. He had so many complaints when it came to staying in the same place as Tobio and would rant passionately until someone else snatched the phone from him. Hinata had gone as far as to pass the phone to a few more of their teammates. She had been introduced to another hyperactive boy who described her voice as a divine blessing of the Lords and invited her to join their team as their Mascot. She had to turn him down kindly, revealing that she was from a different school. At the mention of Aoba Johsai, it set off a series of gasps and Aien could hear a few of them discuss plans on how to save her from her plight. It was at this point that Tobio snatched his phone and walked to another corner which was quieter.

The boys apparently spent all morning practicing receives and serves, and the rest of their day was devoted to stamina and strength building which mostly involved jogging for hours around the layout of the Training Facility. From what Tobio told her, their schedule was rather tight and he barely got any time to unwind, which he didn’t seem to care too much about because he loved the idea of not having to worry about homework. The latter made Aien frown a little because she didn’t want him failing high school and turning into a hobo. The team were only allowed to rest after all the drills were finished which was around eight in the night, after which they had their dinner and followed a strict schedule for showers. Tobio spoke in his usual brisk way and told her how he was waking up early to go running around the facility instead of sleeping in. In his words, ‘He wanted to make the most of the weeks before InterHigh’. 

Kiki-san hadn’t been able to change her shifts for a few days but Aien had insisted that she’d be fine. She had signed up for a reading club in college and with her part-time job, she was left with barely any time to bask in her loneliness. Kindaichi had been busy with his practice too, leaving the school almost close to 8 every evening, which made Aien go home on her own most days. When she'd met him in the mornings, he'd wear a harassed expression and would refrain from vocalizing his concerns like he used to. He'd constantly fumble up during any attempt at conversation. Aien could feel the tension that The Inter-high tournament was synonymous with. After her last attack, she had strengthened her defenses and had set a lot of reminders to make sure she took her medications on time and frequented her visits with Dr. Edward.

Aien was currently running towards ‘The Initiative’ – her part-time job. It was a Saturday afternoon and she was supposed to clock in at two. She glanced at her watch as she ran, it was quarter to two. She hated being tardy and the reason for her taxing sprint was that had been held up by a bunch of unfortunate hassles - Oikawa’s fangirls. There had been a photoshoot and an interview for the volleyball team before they headed for the inter highs as Aoba Johsai was a team everyone expected to see going to the Nationals. Aien felt her blood heat up as she recalled her morning encounter….

***An hour earlier***

“Aien-chan! See you next Saturday! And thanks for the suggestion!” Luna chatted cheerfully, a friend she had met at the Reading club. Aien had suggested a few translated works by Roald Dahl as those were the first set of books she had read by an English Author. They normally didn’t have school on Saturdays, but the clubs were functional on weekends. Aien was happy that she had finally made a friend in the school, someone who wasn’t on the sports team. Despite her awkwardness at maintaining a conversation with a new person, Luna didn’t seem to mind, chatting on about a list of books she had ordered from the local library.

As they headed down the hall, they saw a large crowd of giggling girls with phones, they were all huddled outside the Auditorium, blocking the hall that led to the exit doors. Weekends were the only days they were allowed to carry phones and so the girls were making the most of it, all their phones held high in the air, trying to capture what was happening in the auditorium. Aien paused at seeing such a crowd, her mind immediately processing all the escape routes and fire exits of the school, to come up with the best possible way that would involve avoiding this rabid mob. Luna frowned, deep in thought, and then after a loud exclamation, grabbed at Aien’s sleeve.

“IT’S THE PHOTOSHOOT DAY! IT’S TODAY!” She began to drag a begrudging Aien along with her. Luna explained to her as she pulled her arm, that it was the photoshoot for the Volleyball team before they headed off on their road to the Nationals. She wrung her hands in frustration on reaching the cacophony of girls- there was no way she’d be able to see Oikawa-senpai.

“Uh. Luna..you go ahead... I have to be someplace .” Aien had no desire to be a part of this gathering.

Luna was too immersed in finding a better viewing spot, being just an inch taller than Aien. She waved Aien off and began squeezing herself through the crowd, squealing eagerly in tune with the other shrill voices.

Aien could barely make it through the mass as she was constantly getting elbowed by an overly excited girl.

“IT’S OIKAWA SENPAI”

“HES SO HOT!!”

“WE CAN GET PICS WITH HIM TODAY!”

“HIS HAIR LOOKS SO NICE TODAY!!!”

Aien cringed, awestruck at how he was worshipped by everyone in the school.

_He’s so vile…_

After struggling for a few moments, she realized she had barely made any progress to get to the other end of the hall. She gave up and stood amongst the throngs of squealing girls, she spotted a few boys in the mob too. She ducked her head, every time she noticed any sudden motion beside her. She was determined to leave the school with her head intact.

Aien crossed her arms and pouted, _Where were the disciplinarians when you needed them._

She racked her brain for an idea that could get her 4 foot 11 self to the other side of the hall.

Just as she was considering dropping to the ground, screaming at the top of her lungs, and creating a scene, the blue jersey of a few of the Aoba Johsai teammates standing near the periphery of the crowd, caught her eye.

 _Number 12_ …

Her face immediately lit up.

“Kindaichi-san!!!” Aien called out, but her voice was drowned out by the giggles and comments from the crowd. She tried to wave her hand out at him, jumping in her place to catch his attention but it was useless, the girls and boys around her towered over her. The iron wall of energy around her didn't break her spirit and she continued yelling in his direction.

It was finally, Iwaizumi who noticed a small figure who was jumping in a direction that wasn't aimed at the photoshoot of Oikawa. He had been standing a little away from the crowd, glaring at the throng of females. He was used to all these fangirls but what annoyed him was the person that they fangirled over. His frown softened as he recognized the figure and that she wasn’t cheering for Oikawa but had her eyes fixed on Kindachi who was laughing over something with Kunimi. He sighed as he walked over towards the crowd. The girls moved easily, mostly in fearful excitement as he approached them. He emitted a terrifying aura, that made a few girls tremble as they stepped back, whispering something about dark energy. Iwaizumi controlled his anger as he walked through the mob of crazed women and walked on until he stood in front of a wide-eyed Aien who had been ready to make a run for it as she noticed the crowd clearing up. She had her palms balled up into small fists and her feet were in a running pose, she froze on seeing him standing in front of her. The crowd swallowed the two of them up as someone yelled that Oikawa was done with the interview and was going to be heading out. The excited buzz was reaching its peak of elation.

Iwaizumi growled, speaking loudly to drown out the other voices, “I’ll help you get to the other side. Follow me.”

She nodded wordlessly, as she followed him as he pushed through the hordes of boys and girls. He’d turn back to check if she were following him, occasionally. He finally stopped when he couldn’t see her amongst the swarm, his shoulders dropping in frustration.

Just as he was going to curse out loud at having to enter the crowd again, he saw a small hand raise out in the crowd. She was stuck between two girls. He sighed, and reached out, pulling her through the crowd.

The moment they were finally out of the untamed flock of high school energy, he let go and pointed in Kindaichi’s direction and then paused, Kindaichi and Kunimi were nowhere to be seen.

Aien looked frazzled as the crowd had really messed up her clothes and hair.

“Oh..I thought Kindaichi was here.”

Aien bowed, “Thank you so much Iwaizumi-san.” She hadn’t been sure why he had helped her, but she was thankful nonetheless. She recognized him as one of the seniors she had run into during the time she was caught trying to enter the volleyball room.

He rubbed the back of his head, “Yeah...Just glad that there’s one sane girl in this school. But I guess, that because you’re with someone.”

AIen tilted her head, confused with his words. She was interrupted by Iwaizumi’s phone ringing.

“I left.” He spoke rudely to the person on the other end.

After a few moments of bickering and threatening, he sighed and agreed to meet the person on call outside the school doors.

Iwaizumi turned to Aien who was fiddling with her bag straps. “Are you heading out too?”

She nodded, glancing at her watch. It was 1:30, it would take her ten minutes to head to ‘The Initiative’. She was relieved that she had made it through the crowd in time.

She glanced at Iwaizumi as they walked towards the school doors. His face was pulled into a long frown and he kept running his hand through his spiky black hair, his lips were set in a thin line. There was a deep gash on his wrist, from what looked like an old scar.

As they stepped out, a boy with brown hair ran up to meet them, his eyes sparkling. “Iwa-chaaan , I had to get here through the back door because of your threats.”

Aien flinched…. _Was this who they were supposed to be meeting_?

Just as she was about to slip away, he noticed her, “OOO This is such a visual treat! Aien-chaaaan how are you?".

He beamed at the two of them. He was in his volleyball jersey, the number one on his shirt was highlighted strongly, by his strong chest and his hair and face had been spruced up for the photo shoot, making his features stand out a little. His brown eyes were emitting an unusually divine light. His cheeks were slightly flushed from his interview and he held in his hands, a few rolled-up posters. Aien felt her cheeks color up as she realized she was ogling a despicable creature.

She spoke the next few lines in a softer voice, “ Your fans were blocking the way.”

“I know … I was gonna meet them, but …” He nudged Iwaizumi, who moved back, irritated. “But, Iwa-chan here, threatened to burn my Alien collectibles.”

_Alien…. collectibles?_

“Wait!! Aien!! You were with my fan club??” The realization suddenly hit him.

She coughed, indignantly “OF COURSE NOT.”

“If you wanted a picture you could have just asked me.” He grinned. “We’re so familiar already.”

She gaped at his audacity, “We. Are. Not.”

He pushed his phone into Iwaizumi’s hand. “Since she waited this long, Let us give the gal what she wants.”

Iwaizumi stated shortly, “What she wants or what you want?”

Oikawa disregarded Iwaizumi’s words and walked over to Aien, who was unnaturally stiff as her brain tried to process the overload of emotions that ran through her, every time they interacted. He placed his arm around her shoulders, gently, pulling her closer to his side, and with his other hand, he held out a peace sign and beamed, “Smile Aien-chan!”

Iwaizumi’s face wore a look of a man who was about to commit a crime yet he took the picture, grudgingly.

Aien was frozen through this entire process, and only showed signs of sentience after Oikawa commented that posing with a short girl was tough business. She wriggled out of his grasp, mortified that they’d been standing so close.

Oikawa ruffled her hair, playfully before walking over to look at the picture Iwaizumi had taken.

“HEY NOT BAD IWA-CHAN. It’s a cute picture.”

He was just about to show it to Aien when a few screams met their ears, “ITS OIKAWA-SENPAI.”

“HE’S OUTSIDE!!”

Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa’s arm and began to drag him away, not in a mood to witness another round of Oikawa’s flirting “See you Aien. You better run too.”

Oikawa grinned as he hurried along with Iwaizumi, waving at Aien. “You’re welcome for the pic! I’ll get your number from __”

His voice drifted into the distance.

***back to the present***

Panting, Aien entered the room to her part-time job. The sounds of loud typing greeted her ears. She could smell coffee and cinnamon in the air- a staple in their small office. Maya-san was busy typing on her computer as she spoke on the phone, probably interviewing a client. She was jotting down points at breakneck speed, barely noticing Aien entering. The rest of the team were at their own corners, immersed with work as the deadline for this week's magazine was close.

Aien slipped in, greeting Maya-san and Mila-san who were nearest to her desk. Just as she was setting her bag down, she noticed a boy with messy black hair sitting near her desk. He was reading something on his system. She couldn’t help but notice that the boy had a very inscrutable face, despite his charming features. He had long eyelashes that curled upwards, giving him an air of gracefulness that Aien hadn’t seen in most boys, along with a very slender jaw structure. He looked up at her and gave her a subtle nod before returning to his typing.

“Aien! You’re late.” Maya noted, sipping her coffee, done with her call.

Aien apologized, her face reddening. “I was held up by a ..a..swarm of crazy at my school.”

Maya nodded, distracted by something on her system, “ Hmm? Well, go through this article I wrote. I’ve mailed it to you. Note the errors with the marker tool.” She continued, “I think you should be familiar with the tool we’re using?”

Aien nodded, she had been learning how to edit articles and highlight the edits before sending it in for doublechecking. The editors and writers of the team worked on the same tool, whereas the layout and format of the magazine were developed by Sora-san on another platform.

Maya leaned back in her swivel chair, “Ey Keiji, are you done with Eric's article?”

The strange boy, whom Aien hadn’t been introduced to, looked up at the mention of his name. He nodded, replying in a deadpan voice. “Hai Maya-san. I was just mailing it to him.”

Aien thought to herself, _the voice and the expression, they go well together._

“Good, you can get started with Connen’s photos. Speaking of which why is he not here?” she sounded annoyed.

The boy, ‘Keiji’, sighed. “He has some errands to run.”

She grunted. “Oh, by the way, that’s Aien chan.” She pointed at Aien. “And this is Akaashi, the boy I was telling you about. The one from Tokyo..”

Aien smiled, “I-its nice to meet you!”

“Ask him for help if you're stuck on anything.” She returned to her system, her swivel chair making a light click as she straightened up her torso.

The rest of the afternoon went by with them typing and occasionally commenting on a few articles. Aien found it easy to communicate with Akaashi as he never spoke more than what was necessary. Every time they finished editing an article, they would exchange the articles to cross-check. He showed her the tool they used to edit pics for the magazine, and gave her a brief run-through of it. He seemed to know all the ropes of ‘The Initiative’ and was willing to teach her without holding back. Aien soon learned that Akaashi was actually Connen’s younger brother and that this start-up was one of the many brainwaves of his eccentric older brother. 

Akaashi’s phone suddenly rang out loudly, making Maya-san grunt in annoyance.

He picked up his phone, gracefully, and stayed silent for a few moments. Aien could hear a few disgruntled yells from the other end of the phone.

“I’m not ignoring you, Bokuto-san.” Akaashi finally spoke. He continued calmly. “I told you I will be working this weekend.”

Aien was surprised that he was taking personal calls especially since Maya-san had lectured her on how taking personal calls was like mocking the time everyone was putting in. She bit her lip as she realized her mind had been distracted and had accidentally deleted a whole chunk of what she was editing. It had taken her an hour to work on the whole article and she had deleted it in the span of a few seconds.

“I will watch the video after I’m done, Bokuto-san”

Aien was panicking and whispered to Eric who was falling asleep at his desk, “Um…How do I recover something I deleted in_

“WHOS WHAT?” Eric shouted, jumping awake, spilling his coffee with his sudden movement. Aien immediately moved the files from where the coffee was spilled. Maya began to curse at Eric for being an incompetent nincompoop. …her words..

“No Bokuto-san. I was not aware of your message.”

Eric was fumbling around trying to apologize. In the midst of the mayhem of cleaning the floor, Aien ended up knocking her head against the table, causing a pile of books to collapse beside her. Maya’s face had turned a dangerous color.

“I’m not with anyone in particular, Bokuto-san.” His soft, calm voice seemed to linger in the tension-filled atmosphere. He knelt down beside Aien, to pick up a few books that she’d had dropped. He seemed unperturbed by the loud voices and chaos that had hit the room.

“Ey Keiji, can you take your love story someplace else. It’s bugging me.” Maya snubbed. “And you….” She turned to Eric, condescendingly, “If I catch you sleeping again, I will personally see to it that you never get a recommendation letter from ANYONE. I WILL DESTROY YOUR CAREER.”

Eric nervously knocked his glasses off his nose and clumsily tried to catch it mid-air, letting the glasses slip a few times before he finally placed it back on his nose. Aien felt sorry for the College boy who was now shrinking in his seat. Eric had been interning at “The Initiative ” for the last six months and once he graduated, he was hoping to shift to Tokyo. His biggest peeve was being born in a small town and was determined to make it big in life despite his humble beginning. He was majoring in Journalism and was currently working in the writing department alongside Maya-san who would constantly berate him for his drowsy behavior. Despite her constant chides, Maya-san was a talented writer and he was honored to learn the ropes from her.

Akaashi moved a little to the corner, his voice getting quieter. “Bokuto-san…please..”

Aien had finally managed to get things in order, Eric’s face was pale as he went back to formatting the articles that were edited.

Akaashi walked over to the desk, done with his call. “Sorry.”

“Oh that’s fine… um this file, I think I deleted everything” Aien asked.

“Yes. To retrieve it, click on this.” He started to show her when his phone rang again. Aien was surprised that his expression was not in the slightest bit upset. In fact, Akaashi looked calmer than before as he picked up his call. He was lucky that Maya-san was on another call, and so she hadn’t noticed this.

_He always picks up…._

“Bokuto san..”

Now that Akaashi was closer, Aien could hear bits and pieces of the screams from the other end of the phone.

“YOU ____ VIDEO CALL!!! I_________ SHOW YOU!”

“I can’t right now”

“AKAAAAAASHI COME _____TOKYO.”

“I will be there tomorrow, Bokuto-san.” After a few moments, he cut the call and showed Aien how to retrieve her file.

“Why don’t you put your phone on silent?” Aien had to ask.

_Who was this person that Akaashi-san was always talking to despite rush hours at work and a hot-headed co-boss._

His impassive expression changed to one of pure unadulterated shock. “Ignore Bokuto-san? Never.”

Eric pitched in, timidly. “Wow, you’re so in love.” The co-workers didn’t seem as surprised with Akaashi’s calls, which indicated it must have been a regular happening.

“Bokuto san is a star that shines brightly and the best captain of the team.” He spoke, a strong pulse of happiness and pride entangled in his usually dead voice. After a pause, he added, “He’s also my friend.”

Aien was very confused. She had heard both Maya-san and Eric tease Akaashi, calling it love. She rubbed the tip of her nose. “Captain?”

“Yes..Volleyball.”

Aien laughed, “Such a small world… My brother plays for his school team too.”

Akaashi didn’t pursue the topic, as Connen sauntered in at that moment, with a grin on his face. Maya-san glared at him, and greeted him rather bitterly, obviously ticked at being left in charge of the establishment , the former owned. Connen had got with him a few meat buns which he distributed happily.

"Full Swing for Publishing day!! LET'S DO THIS! " He cupped his hands together to mimic a loudspeaker. 

"Come on time tomorrow. Connen." Maya spat.

Aien went back to her work, peace reigning once again in the Writing corner. She had given up trying to fathom the relationship between Akaashi and the mysterious caller.

Fiddling with the strings of her eyepatch, she recovered her document and mailed it back to Maya-san.

Chomping slowly on the warm meat bun, her thoughts drifted, the faint, comforting smell of cinnamon coffee making her mind fuzzy.

 _Tobio-kun should be back tomorrow_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guyss,  
> I'm so in love with Akaashi and for those of y'all who've read the manga, *********NOT REALLY A SPOILER BUT STILL GONNA WARN y'all will probably relate a lot more to his inclusion in this chapter. Especially his comment on Bokuto being a star xx *******  
> Anyway, I've been obsessing a lot over Owari no Seraph this week, which made my heart weak with emotions especially at chapter 90.. I can not.
> 
> Thank you guys for all your support, Here's a virtual Bokuaka hug from me.  
> Weak Smiles,  
> Hazel


	9. Battle at the Garbage Dump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaotic Interaction of the second years and first years of KSH

“HEY KAGEYAMA! WAKE UP!” A voice, whisper shouted into the depths of the slumbering boy’s eardrums. He’d been snoring away to glory and twitched under the sudden external duress. He woke up in a daze, his tired eyes trying to adjust to the surroundings. It was still rather dark in the Karasuno Training Facility where the only source of light that caressed the room was reflected from the orange-yellow hue of the streetlamps. He felt his covers being pulled away from his torso, sending chills down his spine as he tried to focus on the ecstatic blurb in front of him.

“What the hell Hinata…”, He cursed on recognizing the silhouette of the tangerine haired boy. He tugged at his covers and pulled it viciously from his companion’s hands as he fell back asleep. He had had a tiring day at practice and every nerve in his body screamed sleep. He wasn’t going to join in for silly games when the Spring tournament was not far off. For the past few days, Hinata, though as exhausted as the rest of them, took hours to fall asleep, and would converse with anyone who would give him the time. The boys had learned their lesson after the first night, feigning sleep as Hinata restlessly prowled the room during the nights, his wild eyes eagerly searching for his next victim.

But the hands that were grabbing at his didn’t stop, there was an urgency in his voice as he persistently whispered, his mouth still near Tobio’s ears, “ Noya senpai told me that if we step out before the crack of dawn, there’s a shrine here that grants wishes.” The intensity of his grabbing matched his voice. “But it only works if we’re out early. LIKE NOW!!”

A warm hand reached out for Hinata’s feet causing him to yelp before he slammed his palm against his mouth, silencing himself in the process.

“What’s the ruckus about?”, Another sleepy voice whispered.

“Yamaguchi ???” Hinata raised his arms up, joyfully. “You come too!!”

A deeper voice spoke up, a slight edge to his tone “ah…shut it, you country fool…..~snore~”.

The remaining members of the Karasuno team were asleep on their futons, arms, and limbs sprawled out in a chaotic manner. Hinata made up his mind with a determined expression, fuzzy at the thought of involving more people on his mini-adventure. He quivered in elation as he quickly described the shrine of wonders that Noya Senpai had told him about in the earlier hours of the day and how at the auspicious hours of the early morning, a certain strand of energy hit the shrine’s rock and made it glow, giving it the name **‘Bioluminescent Sea of Qi’** and whoever prayed to it at that particular moment would invoke the blessings of the divine. Hinata fumbled up the name of the shrine making the usually naïve and innocuous Yamaguchi frown a little at the odd name that he couldn’t make head or tails off. Hinata had tears of excitement at the thought of this being the magical moment, that would transform him into the Ace of the Karasuno team. He had been struggling with the green monster of envy when it came to Asahi-san’s power and presence and despite his stand that he was still a growing boy, he was afraid his genetics wouldn’t favor him. 

Tobio had slipped back into his initial comatose state, his mouth agape as he snored, completely oblivious to the scheming that was happening beside him.

Yamaguchi sat up, glancing nervously over his shoulder. He didn’t need convincing. He had been dealing with his own fears of being amongst talented peers and had felt left out in this team that was constantly improving themselves.

_I won’t be left behind…._

Taking a deep breath, he softly called out, “Tsukki..”, He shook the blonde boy’s shoulders slightly.

“Don’t.” Tsukishima turned away in his sleep, pulling his pillow closer.

Meanwhile, Hinata had gone back to waking Tobio, yanking at the sheet that cocooned the sulky boy who finally gave in with the incessant prodding and sat upright with an aura of defeat.

After a few minutes of unending coercion, Hinata explained to the three forlorn boys how they would have to stuff their beds to make it look like they were sleeping in case Daichi-san woke up.

Sleepily, the four of them headed out of the training camp, sparing a glance at their captain to confirm that he was truly asleep. Daichi was sprawled out, breathing heavily, beside Sugawara who was cuddled into his own corner with his blanket tightly tucked around his person, leaving only tufts of gray hair poking out in a haphazard manner. Daichi twitched in his sleep, making the four boys hold their breath in anticipation before they finally snuck out of the room.

Outside the training hall, stood Tanaka and Nishinoya with their phones in their hands, clothed with warm layers. They were discussing something in hushed tones and looked surprised to see the small group that stepped out of the hall. It was around two in the morning, and the only lights that lit their path came from the flashlights on their phones.

Nishinoya, “Oh You got the whole squad here!” His hair was flattened unlike his usual spiky style and the collars of his jacket covered the lower half of his face, which made him appear shorter than usual. He turned to Hinata, “Did you do as we told you?”

“HAII. We stuffed our beds!!” He saluted them, trembling a little from the excitement.

Tanaka laughed heartily, “We have to return before dawn breaks!” He gave Nishinoya a secretive look before marching ahead. They led the little party down the cold, dark roads. A few street lights surrounded the deserted roads, and inconsistently flickered at times, causing the boys to huddle closer. The area was isolated, which was new to the boys who had grown accustomed to their lives in the bustling town that was usually active through the night. Tobio glared at Hinata who had completely ignored the former’s personal bubble. He gave him a little push which resulted in a mini tussle that Tanaka finally had to break, by tearing the two apart.

Tsukishima slapped his hand across his forehead, “I don’t even want to be here.”

Yamaguchi frowned, feeling a little guilty. He knew Tsukishima was here for him. “Shrines have powers, Tsukki!”

“There’s something off about this whole idea……That’s what my gut tells me at least.” His voice trailed off as his mind was too fuzzy to process the words he had spoken. In the mayhem of leaving the Facility, he had forgotten his glasses, making him crankier than usual. Yamaguchi was the only one who knew that a Tsukishima without glasses was practically as blind as a bat, which was why the shorter boy clung to him, protecting him from any ambushes.

Their long journey had led them to an area that wasn’t lit by any lamps, the darkness swallowing them whole. An enormous Torii gate stood at the entrance of what looked like a forest. The low buzz of crickets and the serene whistling of the wind greeted their ears. The road that lay ahead gave off a foreboding yet mystical aura. Tobio had forgotten his phone by his bedside, which had forced him to rely on Hinata’s flashlight. He grabbed the boys’ hand turning it to face the corner where he was standing. A few shadows danced with the flickering flashlight. The scent of damp moss and fallen flowers was an olfactory attack for the boys who were used to the predictable smells of the Town they lived in.

“Um…Tanaka senpai…..” Hinata started, confused, releasing his arm from Tobio’s rough grip. He had thought the shrine would have been in a small town.

Nishinoya nodded, confidently “We have to walk through this to reach the nearest town. It’s a shortcut.” He hopped ahead, not fearing the looming darkness. A few twigs crunched under his feet, making Yamaguchi yelp out in fear.

Hinata shivered a little, and tugged at Tobio’s sleeve, “Neh…Do..Do..you think..we’ll see an…Oni??”

The taller boy had a stoic expression and remained silent. He didn’t believe in the supernatural though he came from a very spiritual family. He walked on ahead, trying his best to ignore the rustling of leaves and the ineffable harmony of scents.

Tsukishima let out a sarcastic laugh, “Well if you want to get blessed, there must be the balance of the possibility of a curse. “

Yamaguchi’s eyes widened. He followed the boys, trembling.

They walked into the forest in pairs. The sounds of insects tittering loudened. The trail was littered with fallen twigs and pebbles that clattered under their feet. The trail that they were following curved around deformed trees and mangled roots that sprawled along the expanse of the forest floor, But Nishinoya led the way without a pause in his stride, occasionally cursing at cobwebs that he ran into.

Tanaka, “Hinata don’t run off.. they have soul snatching spirits here.” He shivered as he fixed his beanie. He turned in an ominous manner, moving his flashlight closer to his face, his eyes glowing like two deep-set red hot coals. “Campers were found dead here.”

Yamaguchi almost collapsed at the last line. It was Tsukishima who grudgingly caught him. “Only fools believe in spirits.”

“EH?? SALTY? U WANNA FIGHT?” Tanaka shouted.

Tobio suddenly yelled. “S-S-Something…SOMETHING T-T-TOUCHED ME!!! WAS IT YOU??” He grabbed Hinata, lifting him up a few inches from the ground.

“NO! NO! I WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE. THERE’S NO WAY I COULD HAVE IN THE DARK.” He pleaded, his legs shivering. He was thrown down roughly.

Tanaka had a proud smile on his face as he stood with his arms akimbo. “See, I told you. SSPIRITSSSS”

Tsukishima scoffed. “No such thing. It was probably a leaf.”

They continued on down the dingy trails, occasionally halting when they came to a fork in the path. A few howls filled the night sky, making the boys jump in fright at the thought of spirit snatching ghosts. The atmosphere had fallen a few degrees, making the group grateful for the thick layers they were wearing.

Hinata grabbed Tobio’s sleeve, unconsciously. The latter was now filled with a foreboding, which prevented him from lashing out at the orange-haired boy. He was now more wary of the hanging vines that fell from the trees and had focused all his energy on avoiding another scare.

Tsukishima yawned, as he kicked at the pebbles under his feet “It feels like we’re lost.”

Tanaka looked aghast. “DO YOU DOUBT YOUR SENIORS?”. Yet, he looked apprehensive, as he watched the path wind on, endlessly, with no signs of any town.

Tsukishima held his tongue, despite his growing irritation.

After a few more minutes of tension in the air, Tanaka called back, his eyes spotting the welcoming hints of light that was breaking through the thick foliage of the forest, “It should be somewhere here.”

Nishinoya began jumping up gleefully. “OH YES OH YES!!!!”

Hinata fed off the excitement and bounced his way forward, “WE ARE GONNA GET BLESSINGS.”

Despite his initial adamance, Tsukishima seemed to warm up a little, going back to his usual snorty self. The sounds of the night were now drowned by snide remarks by Tuskishima which were mostly directed to a standoffish Tobio who was equally grumpy at losing his precious sleep.

“Are you guys so stupid? That question wasn’t for you, freak duo. Because y’all definitely are.”

“Why does the shrine only work at a certain time?”

“Why is no one questioning this?”

“When did we all become like Hinata?”

Nishinoya finally replied in a solemn tone, “Our minds can’t fathom what the supernatural proclaims.”

Hinata was in awe, “AHHHH WOOW NOYA SENPAI!!!!” He clapped his hands as he hopped in place.

Yamaguchi tugged Tsukishima’s arm, hoping to calm his friend down.

They had finally made it to the end of the forest trails. A few flickering lamps greeted their eyes as they viewed the entrance to a small town. The silence of the night had returned as they gazed in awe at the still houses.

Nishinoya beckoned at them to follow him as he walked ahead. After a few turns, they stood at the cobbled entrance of a quaint house that had a neatly labelled Herb garden at its entrance as bluebell creepers twined generously along the chestnut entrance to the house. A black preening cat sat on the roof, eyeing them suspiciously. The smell of lavender and thyme filled their nostrils.

“It’s here isn’t it!!!!” Tanaka’s face glowed. The creepy journey through the forest trails was already forgotten.

Nishinoya nodded. “I’m sure I heard her say it was here.”

Tobio, “Who?”

The seniors turned to them, with solemn expressions. “You guys have helped us for the greater good.”

“I knew it.” Tsukishima turned and began to head for the dark forest.

“Tsukki no no no” Yamaguchi tugged at his friends’ arm, getting dragged along in the process.

“Huh??” Hinata looked around in confusion. “Where’s the shrine? Why are we standing at a house?”

Nishinoya puffed his chest as he spoke. “This isn’t just ‘ANY” house. This is the all gorgeous, all mighty, beautiful warrior Princess Kiyoko-sama’s house.”

There was a silence that met this announcement apart from Tanaka’s san’s sighs of appreciation.

Yamaguchi had to hold on to his best friend with all his power to prevent him from going through the forest alone.

Hinata was shocked. “B-But you told me…”

Nishinoya continued, “It is a shrine. Her house...It’s a blessing for us all. Also, I didn’t expect you to bring everyone.”

Tobio turned to Hinata, his eyes dangerously calm. Hinata backed away quickly. “You. Woke. Me. Up.for.this?” He enunciated every syllable.

Hinata gulped nervously, holding his hands in front of his torso for protection.

Meanwhile, Nishinoya had a confused expression as he scanned the kanji engraved on the house plaque. He motioned at Tanaka to read it out with him.

Tanaka glanced at the name on the house, closely and said in a small voice, “It ….It says ……Miyawa…….it’s not her house ?…

Nishinoya pulled at his hair in frustration, “ HOW DID WE GET OUR INFORMATION WRONG. ARE WE LOST? ”

“You didn’t even get the house right? “ Tsukishima laughed out loud, an evil smile on his face. “Serves you right.”

Tanaka had to hold back Nishinoya who was growling like a feral animal and was about to launch himself onto the blonde, condescending boy. Hinata and Tobio had already broken into a fight on the ground with both of them throwing punches at the other’s face.

A few yells and punches later, a bunch of guards walked up to them. They were forest officials, who had gotten reports of shady characters who were spotted roaming around in the forest that was under their jurisdiction.

The rest of the early morning hours ended with the boys in the Forest Ranger’s office who refused to believe that they weren’t criminals. They were asked to call up their guardians, which happened to be Coach Ukai as they were miles away from their own houses. Tanaka was trembling as he read out Coach Ukai’s number.

An hour later, a stone-faced Ukai and a dark Daichi walked in. Their footsteps echoed in the quiet of the room. The boys looked a sight, with their bruised faces, muddied clothes, unkempt hair, and bleary eyes. It was Daichi who had a bone-chilling expression, that made Tanaka and Nishinoya shrink beside Tsukishima who for once looked equally afraid. Sugawara-san stepped in a moment later, an unreadable expression on his pleasant face.

After the whole situation was sorted out by coach Ukai, who with a forced smile, repeated to the Ranger that they were not a part of the mafia gang that had recently made their debut in Osaka. The Ranger was unaware of Ukai’s thin patience and curled fists, as he continued to prod and poke for more information. Daichi had his back towards the boys who were desperately waiting for the storm to pass. Tsukishima’s fury at falling for Tanaka’s and Noya’s prank had taken a backseat as he was more fearful of their Captains’ infamous dark tempers. When the Ranger's curiosity had been satiated, Coach Ukai stepped out of the office, patting Daichi’s shoulders as he passed the boy.

Daichi turned to the lot, his arms behind his back, and his eyes hidden by a hovering shadow. His voice was surprisingly deep as he spoke, “I wake up……. I wake up to stuffed beds.”

Sugawara who had carried Tsukishima’s glasses handed it to the blonde boy who took it gratefully. 

Daichi who had been pacing about, narrating how he had been worried for a bunch of misfits, finally looked up at his team, the shadows around his pupils disappearing and leaving in its steed, blank eyes that were more menacing than the spirit snatching ghouls. Yamaguchi shut his eyes in fright, squirming uncontrollably beside Tsukishima.

“Vandalizing private forests? Trespassing on government property? Stalking civilians? STREET FIGHTS?”, His voice seemed to loom over the rest of the boys who shrunk back immediately from the intense energy.

Sugawara stayed silent. He knew that despite Daichi’s angry words, he had been worried about the boys fearing that they’d been injured.

Daichi gave them a sardonic smile as he neared the end of his monologue, “If anyone underperforms in today’s practice, no dinner for them.”

The boys didn’t dare protest. Nishinoya and Tanaka felt relief flow down their spine as they realized their punishments could have been a lot worse. The two of them glanced at each other with small smiles, which were not missed by Daichi’s hawk eyes.

“………And Nishinoya, Tanaka. I know you guys were the masterminds.”

“DAICHI WHY WOULD U SAY_

“Yes.” Tsukishima interrupted. He felt no remorse at throwing his seniors under the bus.

Daichi smiled, knowingly. “I have told Kiyoko to take a break today.” He wore a tired expression as he walked out of the ranger’s office.

Sugawara shook his head, trying to fill the room with a little cheer, “Come on, Come on!! We have a busy day today.” He smiled kindly at the deviant set of boys they were in charge of.

The boys stood up from the wooden benches, sleep-deprived and hungry. Hinata’s tummy rumbled loudly, and he held his belly with a sheepish expression.

Tanaka and Nishinoya had it the worst, the thought of not seeing Kiyoko for a day was too much for them to handle. They walked behind the group with dejected spirits, clouds of despair following them.

Tobio’s mind had sharpened on the remainder of their match with Nekoma which had been scheduled for the next day. He was aware that he was playing in the starting lineup as Coach Ukai had decided to prioritize his setter skills over his experience.

Hinata noticed Tobio’s expression stiffen, and called out, “EYY KAGEYAMA YOU BETTER NOT HOLD US BACK TODAY.”

“HUH? ME?” He glared at Hinata and fastened his pace.

The orange-haired boy chased after him, his spirits as high as always.

***************************

_The fated reunion of the Cats and The Crows_

The next day, The Karasuno Team arrived at the gates of the Training camp’s courtroom, in anticipation. The Nekoma team were waiting for them in their red jersey’s in a disciplined line, with their Captain at the front. Tetsurou Kuroo, also known by the boys in Tokyo as the ‘Scheming Captain’, was indeed a shrewd boy who had been pivotal to the revival of his Team. He smirked at the boys from Karasuno, his eyes locked on Daichi, who returned the fake smile.

Tobio had rested well after the previous days' ordeal and now walked with an air of confidence. His eyes shone as he met the eyes of a few members of the Nekoma team who shrunk back from his intense look.

Tobio noticed Hinata greet a short blonde boy from the Nekoma team. After watching them converse for a bit, Tobio approached Hinata.

“How do you know him?” he asked, curiously.

Hinata shook his head, equally baffled. “Kenma? I just met him when we were jogging.” He then added, remembering something. “He’s the setter of the Nekoma team!!”

Tobio immediately switched into rage mode, a halo of black surrounded his torso. Hinata backed off, whistling to himself, hoping he hadn’t endangered Kenma’s life.

“Must. Know. More.” Tobio walked robotically in the direction of the Nekoma setter.

The two schools, Nekoma and Karasuno were long time rivals, both eagerly waiting to battle their strengths in an official match – Solid Defense vs Offense. In the last Spring Tournament, Nekoma had lost in the quarterfinals while Karasuno hadn’t made it past the third round. The two teams had fallen from grace and were now ready, to begin the siege that would help them claim their throne and had yet to face each other at the Nationals.

_Let the much-awaited Trashcan showdown begin!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized this could be considered a filler chapter, and I hate fillers, but I did enjoy writing this because Filler or not- Our cute KSH boys are a vibe.  
> The next few chapters are going to lead to the match with Aoba Johsai, I'm looking forward to plotting the BTS. 
> 
> Happy week to y'all,  
> Hazel


	10. Of Kings and Titles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The everyday affairs at Aoba Johsai

The ambience and establishment of the Illustrious Aoba Johsai stood unparalleled in the Miyagi Prefecture. The gargantuan Educational Buildings resembled constructions of the Victorian Era, with its lovely grey stone walls and deeply nested arches that were an evergreen entanglement of purple bell vines. Since most of its funding was restricted to the well-off families that had wards in the school, it was indeed a prestigious school that lacked in nothing material. The classrooms were capacious and well lit, with eggshell cream walls with each student assigned a wooden single-seater. The school was most famously known for its talented volleyball team but it lacked in no terms in its football and basketball teams that were up and coming in the region. Weekends saw students flocking to the manga and art clubs for a creative respite. The Aoba Johsai Library held fort on the second floor of the main building and was stacked with hardbound books that ranged from all genres. The library spanned the entire floor, and at its arched walnut brown entrance had the Latin engraving, _noli cedere cognoscere,_ which translated to ‘Don’t cease to learn’ – An erudite’s vision.

Unlike most of the schools in the area, Aoba Johsai had its own high school cafeteria, although the food prepared wasn’t known for its variety, the cafeteria was where most of the students gathered to partake in their lunches. The cafeteria was run by a few student volunteers, who handled the peak hours of student traffic.

Aien had barely explored her school, going as far as the library and back to her class. She spent most of her breaks, ogling the view from outside her class as the greenery stretched as far as her eyes could see. At times, when the sky was a bright blue, the fog at the peaks of the mountain would clear up, revealing the simplistic foliage that surrounded it. Sakura season was ending, and the pink plumage that had overtaken the prefecture was settling, leaving in its place an outburst of hydrangeas. The purplish-pink and obsidian blue hues surrounded the tall stone buildings of Aoba Johsai, giving it a mystical charm that was irresistible to passers-by.

Aien tapped her feet on the tiled floor as she debated whether she should pay the canteen a visit or stay hungry. She usually carried a lunch box which was prepared by Kiki-san, but today was one of those days where Kiki-san had a sudden change in shifts. Aien and Tobio had woken up late and hadn’t had any time to prepare a lunch box for themselves. The two of them had rushed out, muttering incoherent goodbyes as they ran in opposite directions.

She made up her mind, resolutely, and stepped out of her class. Her wavy brown hair had been pulled back into a ponytail which already had few stubborn strands sticking out messily. Her bangs were carefully positioned to hide her eyepatch. Additionally, a large black bow took the attention away from the black strings of the patch. She tugged at her cream sweater sleeves, which was a few sizes too large for her as she passed by a few of her classmates who were eagerly discussing the school festival which was a month away. This would be her first time stepping out of class during break time. She spent most of her days eating her lunch, alone in her class, and catching up on a new book. It had been almost a month since she had started school and she still hadn’t made a friend in her class. It wasn’t that her classmates were hard to get along with, rather her timid personality had her shying away from most attempts at conversation her classmates made.

She headed towards the cafeteria, and tentatively pushed the door open. The sight that met her vision had her motionless – loud voices, crowded benches, and the fast-paced queue at the food counter. She almost turned back, retracing her steps but the crowd filling in was just as chaotic as the crowd in the room. Dread filled her, as she moved to a quieter corner and looked around the large beige room with white Casement Bay windows. The cafeteria had rows of wooden benches, that suited the warm aesthetic of the ivory shade of the walls, where the students sat in clusters of chatter. The windows of the cafeteria looked onto the football fields and a few boys were seated beside the windows, with juice boxes and yelling out insults at the boys who were kicking up a storm out on the fields. The teachers had their own common room, though they frequented the canteen as much as the students.

Turning her head to the left, she spotted the stone counter where an older lady sat. She held out a menu, smiling kindly at the girl who kept fidgeting with her oversized sweater.

Aien lingered around the menu for the day, for a while, allowing the crowd that had surrounded the tray distribution area to reduce. The menu was created with a fixed set for each day of the week. All sets compulsorily included a protein- chicken/fish/pork, rice or noodles, soup, and vegetables. After debating between rice and noodles as her main course, she decided on rice, boiled fish, miso soup, and a milk box. She thanked the lady at the counter and turned around cautiously, her tray held out in front of her, and looked around for a place to sit. Her eyes frantically scanned the room, but to no avail- most of the benches were occupied. Her pulse quickened as she mildly began to panic at the thought of not finding a seat. Her hands gripped her tray tightly as she began to move a little deeper into the canteen room. Seas of blank faces surrounded her as she pushed through in hope of a single vacant seat.

_Can I go back to the class?_

_Should I stand and eat this?_

_Why is that girl watching me?_

_DO I have something on my face?_

_Is my eyepatch showing?_

“AIEN?” A deep voice called out at her.

Aien turned towards the familiar voice, her thoughts scrambling around the insides of her skull, and spotted Kindaichi, who beamed at her from where he sat. She, gratefully carried her tray towards where he sat, and it was then she noticed the table was cramped with most of the boys from the volleyball team, all decked in their club’s colors - turquoise and white. She paled a little as Kindaichi moved aside, making enough space for her to settle in.

Aien placed her tray and sat gingerly beside him. Meticulously, she placed her satchel beside her and arranged the slightly displaced containers of food on her tray. The rather strong and overpowering aroma of the miso soup wafted around her as she closed her eyes and silently thanked the gods above for her meal. She looked up at the boy who was sitting across her and her hands froze. Right in front of her, sat Oikawa, whose brown curls covered his chiseled face as he was busy scribbling something on a few sheets, his lunch box, left untouched. It took her a few seconds to recognize him in his pale lilac uniform and glasses. He wasn’t wearing the club’s uniform which was what she had grown accustomed to. She couldn’t help but notice the neatly packed bento box that lay untouched at his side, with tako sausages and pickled broccoli. The rest of the body at the table were discussing the Elite Festival held by Aoba Johsai and were calling dibs on the best ideas for their class stalls.

Kindaichi grinned at Aien as she sat beside him, noting her traumatized countenance, “You never eat here”.

Aien tore her eyes from the silent Oikawa who hadn’t commented on her joining them, which was unusual for the usually chatty boy.

“Uh, I was late in the morning.” She replied softly, pulling her chopsticks apart.

Kindaichi chomped on the potato salad in his tray, “We always hang out here, mostly because of Kunimi.”

Kunimi, who hadn’t greeted Aien, glanced at her tray, “Can I have a bit of the fish? Kindaichi finished mine.”

Kindaichi glared at him, swallowing his food indignantly as he tried to protest.

Aien knocked her milk box over as she tried to pass her bowl of boiled fish. Her hand reached out to steady the box and instead of the cold outer covering of the box, her hands collided with something warm and bony. Another hand had reached out to steady the milk box, his eyes still on what he was writing. Oikawa straightened the milk box, Aien’s hand still over his, his brown locks shifting slightly to reveal a few light freckles on his nose. Aien removed her hands at the speed of light as if she had been burnt and Oikawa feverishly went back to his work, not sparing a single glance towards her direction.

Meanwhile, Kindaichi and Kunimi were engaged in their own tug of war with the bowl of fish. Kindaichi finally managed to grab the bowl of fish from his friend’s hand and held it over his head,

“Kunimi…Dude let her eat it.”

“We need our proteins more than she does.” He scoffed as he deftly used his chopsticks to snatch the fish from the bowl that was hovering in the air, not leaving a morsel for Aien whose attention was diverted by her bafflement at the notorious narcissist in front of her, who was neatly noting down details on sheets of paper.

_DID I JUST GRAB HIS HAND? AM I A PERVERT?_

She took deep breaths, a forced smile on her face as she calmed herself down because after all, it was a mistake. A pang of irritation shot through her as she envied his quick reflexes even when his attention was elsewhere.

Oikawa groaned slightly as he shuffled through the sheets of white. Iwaizumi wasn’t at the table, which was also a surprise to Aien as she always thought the two of them were joint at the hip. He buried his head onto the table, the papers rustling at his motion. The boy next to him patted him kindly.

“You’re almost done!” He cheered. Oikawa lifted his head up, his curls disheveled, and nodded weakly before lifting his ink pen.

She continued to eat quietly, tapping her feet softly under the table.

“Aien, Will you come to watch us play at the Interhighs?” Kindaichi asked moving his empty tray onto Kunimi’s tray. “The school is organizing a bus for the students to cheer the team on.”

Kunimi had a glint in his eyes as a devious thought crossed his mind. He hadn’t missed the subtle exchanged between the Captain of his team and Aien. He leaned forward, speaking causally “Say, Kindaichi, We have Karasuno in our bracket right?”

Aien choked on a few of the vegetables at the sudden question. Tears filled her vision as she turned to her side to avoid coughing on the people beside her. She barely registered Kindaichi and Kunimi who were fiddling in their bags for their bottles. It was only after a few seconds did she realize that there was a hand holding out a bottle of water.

Oikawa was still writing, but his left arm was stretched out with a bottle in his hand.

After her spasm passed, she placed his bottle next to him, muttering a thank you. She wasn’t aware of how to behave with a non-domineering Oikawa but a small part of her, a part that she didn’t understand, desperately wanted the boy to at least acknowledge her presence.

Kindaichi looked concerned, “You sure you’re okay?”. He added in a lower voice more to Kunimi than Aien, “Oikawa-san has the best reflexes in this prefecture.”

Kunimi smiled sardonically, “You should join his fan club, Kindaichi.”

Aien nodded, “Yes yes I’m okay.”

She paused before replying, “I haven’t thought about the match yet…”

“You get to miss classes!!”, He gleefully said, thinking that was enough reason to convince anyone.

Kunimi wasn’t satisfied with the reaction from Aien and so pressed on, “I wonder how our great king is going to take his loss…especially from his lowly peers.”

Kindaichi looked angered, the top of his hair standing straighter than ever, “ I hate that he’s changed so much.” He slammed his fists on the table, sending vibrations that sent the trays clattering a little.

Aien had zoned out of their conversation, infuriating Kunimi at her innocence.

Kunimi could now see the resemblance between the siblings- they were both absolutely impervious to shrewd conversations. He muttered to himself, “Thick skulls.”

Kindaichi turned to Aien, suddenly remembering, “Oh, Will you be supporting Kara_”

Kunimi gathered the trays, clacking them loudly as he did, interrupting Kindaichi’s words, “I want to stop by the soft serve machine.” He was curious to see how this would play it out once their Captain found out who Aien was related to but he wanted a more dramatic timing.

“You only think about eating.” Kindaichi scolded, losing his train of thought. He glanced at Aien who had barely touched her food.

“Um you should go, I’ll take some time to finish.” She uttered, waving her hands awkwardly.

He argued with her for a while but she stood her ground.

After a few minutes, Kindaichi grabbed his bag and waved at Aien. Kunimi had lost interest in the oblivious Aien. He haggled with Kindaichi as they walked towards the soft serve machine, convincing the latter to treat him.

The rest of the volleyball team were grabbing at a magazine one of the boys had got to the canteen and were passionately arguing about the contents.

“Dude I told you that Ushijima would make cover again.”

“Look at his arrogance. He says he fears nothing.”

“Shiratorizawa can suck a_

Another boy slammed his hand on the cursing boys’ mouth.

Aien’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to understand their conversation, giving up after a few tries, and concentrating on finishing her meal, propping up a book of her father’s as she did. Her milk box lay untouched on the tray.

“My thoughts are whirled like a potter’s wheel. I know not where I am nor what I do.”

Aien paused from her reading and turned to look at Oikawa who had finally straightened his posture and had started to eat his lunch, lazily spinning his chopsticks. He adjusted the glasses on his face, displaying a deep red mark on the bridge of his nose, probably from the pinching glasses.

His brown eyes didn’t have the usual light in them when they fell on hers. His pale pink lips were set in a thin line and his face radiated weariness.

Aien stopped tapping her feet and sat up, uncomfortably. He had finally looked at her.

“I-I didn’t know you read.”

He moved his long fingers across the table and pulled the book towards him, “It’s a pity. Talbot was a great soldier. A man of great glories. But his end…..”

Aien hesitated before replying, “He lived a life of victories until then and a lot of people feared him. His journey is what mattered after all.” 

“Yet he questioned what he was doing when faced with an unbeatable foe. He was not happy.”

“Do you think happiness is only measured in victory?” Aien shot back, her face flushed.

“I think the true measure of a person’s worth lies in his ability to win.” Oikawa now smiled, a shadow covering his face.

“Yet we remember the men who fall as much as the men who win.”

Oikawa watched Aien curiously, falling silent. Her words seemed to echo in his mind, bouncing about uncontrollably. _Fallen Men._

She stabbed at the last few morsels on her plate and looked up, when she felt his piercing gaze, “What?”

“I’d prefer to be remembered as someone who won.” He stated.

“And if you can’t? Does that mean you didn’t try enough?”

“Yes.” He replied without a thought. “People who reach the top come in two categories.” He held out his fingers. “Number one are the prodigies, the skilled, and talented ones. And Number two are the people who sacrifice everything to get to the top.”

“I admire your drive to win, Oikawa-san. But I…” Her eyes stared straight into his eyes, “But I, think winning is relative because not everyone can win. Someone has to take the fall.”

“That someone can not, and will not be me. If it means I have to work ten times harder than I am, then I will. ” He smirked, his words cutting deeper than intended.

Aien pondered on his words for a while, her awkwardness suddenly taking over. She felt the words tumble in her mind. The flow of their conversation had broken.

Oikawa moved a layer of his bento box, to reveal a few pieces of skinless teriyaki chicken with a dark sauce that resembled the consistency of Hoisin sauce. Moving aside a few pieces, he handed over the remaining chicken, pushing the box towards her corner, “Here. Apologies for my team eating your lunch.”

Aien was unsure of what she felt- Was it an urge to laugh at the irony of the situation or feel touched that he noticed her plight.

“So, you were listening.” She finally settled on calling him out.

“No. Nothing escapes my attention, that’s all.” He went back to eating. He was unperturbed by her observation.

Aien gingerly tasted a bit of the chicken and felt a burst of flavor in her mouth. Covering her mouth with her hand, she muttered “This is really good.”

“HA! One of the juniors made it for me.”

Aien almost choked on her chicken again, a strange feeling coursing through her veins. She pushed the box back to his side, “Then you should finish it, Oikawa-san.”

“I should but I don’t think I have time.” He glanced at his watch and fastened the pace of his chopsticks, stuffing rice and chicken, simultaneously into his mouth.

A boy with droopy eyes, turned to Oikawa, the same boy who had spoken reassuringly to him just a while back, “You done with the forms?”

Oikawa nodded, swallowing his food quickly, “Matsu, Ask Maki-chan to hand them to Coach. I have a talk with the career guide scheduled in a bit.” He moved over the sheets; the ones he had been writing on.

The boy with the droopy eyes, Matsu, “You should go, Iwaizumi should be done by now.”

Aien noticed their school logo on it as the sheets passed by her. Oikawa’s neat print was visible for a few seconds before another boy gathered them.

Aien dropped her milk box into her satchel, _I’ll save it for Tobio-kun._

“If you’re not finishing that, may I steal it from you?” Oikawa smiled at her, his head resting on his hand. His eyes were casually watching her.

She nodded,”Um..okay.”

_Sorry, Tobio-kun.. I’ll get you another._

She placed her book back into her satchel and held her tray out in front of her as she stood up, “ um……Excuse me.”

Oikawa smiled mid-sip and raised his hand at her. He watched her walk away from their table, amused at her awkwardness.

Aien walked over to the area where the trays were washed and began to clean her tray, placing the washed cutlery on a separate rack. She wondered what forms Oikawa was filling out and why he looked so haggard. Despite herself, she was impressed that he’d been exposed to English Literature. She had assumed he was all brawn and no brains, but he was someone who constantly surprised her.

She pinched herself firmly as she headed to the door of the canteen. _Snap out of it, Aien! This isn’t a soap opera._

She barely had time to register the series of actions that happened in the next few seconds as the moment she opened the door, she felt warms hands pull her into themselves. *Badum* Her face collided with a solid figure with a light smell of cinnamon. Her vision blacked out and all she could focus was on the firm structure she was holding onto. The smell was intoxicating, sending her head into the clouds. *Badum*

“Takumi-chan! Watch where you going, You’d have pulverized her.”

Aien felt her breath catch in her throat and she closed her eyes tightly, her head spinning slightly from the sudden jerk. She remained motionless in those warm, comforting arms that held her, her insecurities melting a bit.

_Arms?_

_ARMS?_

“You can let go off of me now, though I’m not really complaining.”

“A-Ah huh” She dropped her arms immediately, her ears burning. She backed away from the smirking tall boy who was fixing the creases on his jacket. Another boy with a large project held in front of him was trudging down the hall, his visibility limited to a few feet in front of him.

After the realization hit her, She fixed her gaze on her shoes. That would have been an awful crash had it happened. The words were stuck in her mouth, and she just bowed her head, awkwardly.

At the touch of a hand on the back of her head, she flinched, Oikawa’s hand had reached towards the back of her head,

“Relax, the strings loosened.” He tightened the eyepatch knot at the back of her soft hair, his hands deftly tying it, “Is it too tight?”. He towered over her, his attention focused on the strings at the back of her head.

She shook her head, silently, wide-eyed and dazed. Her face had reddened to an extent that shocked even Oikawa whose eyes widened a little on seeing her reaction, at a loss for words.

“Who is that girl?”

“This is beyond annoying. Isn’t she a first year?”

“Who does she think she is, flirting with Oikawa-san?”

“Does she not know hierarchy?”

At the sound of the rude, shrill voices, Oikawa turned his head lazily towards the girls who were standing in the hallway and glaring at Aien, who cowered slightly on hearing the taunts. She stared at the floor wishing it’d open up and transport her into a different dimension.

The girl who had spoken last, walked up to Oikawa, a smile on her fair face, “Oikawa-san! Did you like the bento box?”. A pretty girl, with long black hair that was tied up into a loose ponytail, her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at Oikawa, no trace of her rudeness visible.

Oikawa smiled warmly at the girl. “Ah, You made it?”

She sparkled as she nodded, eagerly. “We’re taking turns to make you lunch since you’re going to be busy with practice and handling the team documents and whatnot.” She looked genuinely worried, as she stared up at him in admiration.

Oikawa felt a movement near his side and spotted Aien backing away from the crowd, her shoulders slouched. Something stirred in his heart on watching her walk away and on an impulse, he grabbed at the back of her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She let out a slight gasp at being pulled back. Oikawa bowed slightly at the other girl, who looked aghast at what he had done.

“It tasted really good. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some “flirting” to finish.” His eyes twinkled, as he pulled a frozen Aien along with him, his hand tight around hers.

He loosened his grip as they neared the stairs that led them their separate ways. The first years were on the first floor, and the third years were on the fourth.

Aien pulled her hand back, her voice trembling as she spoke, “Is this a joke to you?”

“Huh?”

Aien paused for a second to prevent her voice from breaking, “ You sayin-saying that Flir… with..me.” she turned away, embarrassed, and angry at the same time.

“Aien, I was trying to help you in that situation.” He started.

“I don’t need your_

“Oikawa.”

Aien stopped at the sight of Iwaizumi who was fuming as he walked up to them. She was on the verge of tears as she felt humiliated in front of her peers. Those were her seniors, second years and this was enough reason for them to boycott her. She bit her lip to prevent the tears from falling.

“Tori-san has been waiting for you.”

Oikawa groaned, “Iwa-chan, I’m so tired.”

“I’ll trash you. Why can’t you just leave her alone?”

Oikawa spun around to where Aien was standing, but all he saw was a flash of brown walking away in haste.

“She’s gone.” Iwaizumi sighed. “You have to stop this.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with both of y’all but I don’t think we’re on the same page.” He waved at his friend, and began to head towards Tori-san, ignoring the buzzing in his mind. Aien’s upset face drifted towards the back of his mind, as the realities of his world surrounded him.

“For a smart guy, you sure do dumb stuff.” Iwaizumi muttered to himself as he watched his friend walk away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's literally just Monday but I'm already exhausted and craving the weekend. But, on a happier note, Christmas is only 53 days away.  
> Did the wisps and spirits attack y'all on Halloween? xx  
> Hugs  
> Hazel


	11. Quandaries and Qualms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa has his mind on issues of his reality while Aien frets about their previous encounter.

Oikawa rapped his bony knuckles sharply on Tori-san - the career guide/counselor’s office door. Her name tag hung in a haphazard fashion, having shifted from its place from the loss of elasticity of the adhesive. Oikawa straightened the tag, which fell lopsided after a few seconds of the adjustment, the words ‘Dr.Tori Hanazawa’ flashing before his eyes. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, the callouses on his hand had started to hurt him again.

“Come in!!” A voice called out from the interior of the room.

Oikawa cautiously pushed the door open and was not surprised by the massive clutter that greeted his eyes. The mess hadn’t changed since the last time he’d been here. If anything, the pile had worsened, with papers strewn all over the floor. Books lay open on her desk which was barely visible with the mountain of files towering on her work station. Amidst the hordes of files, was a relatively cleaner portion where a wooden frame of a little girl hugging a cat, stood tall, bearing resemblance to the petite lady in the room.

The lady in question was frantically pulling through white files, and scanning the labels before dumping it back on her table in frustration.

“Sit, Sit Oikawa. Uh…I’m just trying to find your file.” She waved at him, dumping a few more files on the table, before turning to her cupboard to fish out a few more piles of files.

Oikawa half smiled at her, before turning to sit on the chair she had pointed at. Tori-san despite her lack of skills in the organizing department, was a brilliant lady. She had gained her degree in student and career counseling from a university in Australia and had surprised everyone by returning to their small prefecture to establish her practice. The majority of the third years spent a good deal of time with her before they graduated, as she had an unconventional way of helping the students defog their minds. And had set many a lost sheep on the right track.

On seeing his hesitation, she groaned, turning around for a few seconds “Just move those books back down. Iwaizumi must have placed them back after he left.”

After the movement of the books, Oikawa leaned back on the chair, his heart pounding. He hadn’t given much thought about his future for the past few weeks because It always led him back to the same point.

_Was Volleyball his passion?_

_Could he make a career out of it?_

Their last talk had led him to believe that he was confusing his hobby with his future, but there was always a small voice that was persistent in his head. A voice that wouldn’t quieten…A voice that wanted more than the mundane...

Every time the discussion of his career began at home, it always ended with his father being disappointed that his ‘oh so brilliant’ son would throw away everything to take up a ‘fickle career’.

Tori-san finally managed to pull a file out from another batch of files. Her glasses were now askew.

She smiled apologetically, her vigorous movements knocking her glasses off, “Wow, I have no idea how it ended up with Class B’s files.” She adjusted her glasses, “So, since our last talk, have you decided which college you want to go to?”

“I have a few in mind,” Oikawa said, his voice slightly dejected. He had marked a few colleges that seemed tolerable, on a whim.

“With your scores, you can easily get into one of the top universities, and as the captain of the team, you could try for a Scholarship…..maybe even out of Japan?”, She peered through his documents, pulling out a few certificate copies that had been filed.

Oikawa sighed, “I don’t know about that.” He scanned through a few brochures which she pulled from his file - Universities in the city.

He sat up straighter, after a few minutes of browsing, deciding to give his thoughts some semblance “What if…..What if I wanted to take up volleyball?”.

She didn’t seem shocked at his question. She was aware of his credentials and as she looked over his file, she turned through pages of recommendation letters and certificate copies.

“You’re talented Oikawa. I won’t deny that.” The worry lines on her forehead deepened, “But, making a career on such a volatile field, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to advise you on that.” Tapping her fingers on his file, her tone, now grave “And your knee injury…”.

Oikawa ran his hand through his curls, his voice strong yet there were hints of devastation in his voice. He was disappointed that Tori-san, just like everyone else, thought he wouldn’t be able to make it.

A crashing of a few files startled him and he looked up to see Tori-san stand up. She waded through the clutter and after searching for a while, pulled out a contraption with five silver pendulums hanging by thin silver threads, in a perfectly straight line, attached to two parallel horizontal bars that were attached to a solid base.

“Do you know what this is?” She questioned, dusting the base with a cloth.

Oikawa nodded, coughing with the dust bunnies that were sent up in the atmosphere.

“Newton’s Cradle.” She continued. She raised the pendulum at the extreme left end.

“When you strike one end, it er.. sends vibrations that travel all the way to the other end but surprisingly…..”, She squinted at him as she released the end in her grasp, and it struck the remaining set with a light clunk, making the pendulum at the opposite right end, rise with the same momentum it had been struck with.

“Only this end reacts.” She pointed to the displaced end. Its repetitive motion had a slightly hypnotizing effect, and bizarrely calming effect on Oikawa who watched the pendulums at the extreme ends react, while the ones huddled at the center stayed calm.

His heartbeat rose as his eyes moved along, in time with the pendulums.

“It's not my job to guide you on a volatile path, Oikawa but just like this cradle, the reaction that the cradle sets is decided by the striker’s momentum and is maintained by the person who begins the reaction.” She looked mildly distracted as a spider scooted across her desk, slamming it down with another file.

Oikawa listened in anticipation; his eyes glued to the motion. Click.Click.Click.

She leaned on her table. “What I’m saying is that no matter what choice you make, you’re setting something in motion.” She began to wipe her glasses on her sleeve as she spoke, “How high you go and with what momentum you go, well…that depends on what you choose to flow with.”

She changed her tactic and now lifted the pendulums at the extreme ends, releasing them simultaneously. Oikawa watched as the three pendulums in the center remained stationary as now the extreme ends seemed to hammer into the center, locking it in place, unlike the previous action-reaction response.

“The safe path doesn’t always guarantee freedom as you can see from the prison cell it has formed.” She mimicked the motion with her fingers, her face contorting into a comical expression.

“But it does guarantee, some stability in life.” She clasped her hands together to symbolize stability. 

Oikawa had half expected her to bury him with multiple college brochures like the last time they’d met. So, the boy now had the light return to his eyes, “Tori-san…..What about the path that doesn’t guarantee…”

She stopped the motion with her palms and then raised two of the globes at the extreme left end, and released them, sending the other two reacting on the opposite end.

“The passion with which that path is traveled with will determine…” she pointed at the minuscule silver globe that had reached its peak, “the height it reaches.”

Oikawa stepped out of the staff room, the worry lines on his face were taut. Even though her words had got the gears in his mind churning, there was an overwhelming feeling of despair and worry that surrounded him-like clusters of dark clouds that didn’t seem to dissipate. He headed mindlessly to the changing rooms and grabbed his club clothes from the locker. The room was empty as most of the boys were already practicing. They had special permission to use the time after lunch to practice until The Interhighs were over.

He stared at his shirt, agonized with the thoughts cramming into his head; the embossed number looked larger than usual. **Number One**. His fingers ran across the fabric, smoothening the crinkles on the shirt.

His eyes darkening, he scoffed, slamming his hand against the lockers, _Number one huh?_

* * *

The rest of the day was a blur for Aien, who flinched at every mention of her name. She had been embarrassed beyond belief with the events from the afternoon and had been on high alert ever since. She had barely paid attention in her geometry class, doodling stick figures in the corner of her book- stick figures that held daggers in their stick palms. Her mind kept analyzing the situation to recollect how many people had witnessed what happened. She was ashamed of herself for not being able to stand up and tell him off for his audacity. After being exposed to strong female leads in so many novels, Aien felt she had let them all down.

Ducking through the school halls, proved harder than usual, as students seemed to flock from all directions, destroying her mission of avoiding all possible human interaction.

Her work at The Initiative was a lot more hectic than usual since according to Maya, the bar had been raised as their last issue had been received well. Maya had overloaded her with articles to edit and research. Her interactions with Akaashi were mostly through mails as he wouldn’t be coming over for a few weeks. He had mentioned in a curt line that he was burdened with school work and Volleyball practice, yet his mails lacked in nothing. He had also mailed her his personal number, so she could communicate with him when she was off work. Aien was most impressed with his work etiquette and was grateful for his help.

Her head ached from the articles she had edited at work, as she headed back home. The streets had darkened considerably but life at The Miyagi Prefecture was in full throttle. One of the attractions near the Aoba Johsai school was a night kitchen, which was most famed for its rice crackers and steamed meat buns. It was a makeshift place that spread on for a few meters and was owned by a vivacious lady. She had planned to stop by a lot of times, as it was a place she passed by after work but the crowd was the damper to her plans. The aromas of the fresh meat buns drifted in the air and made her knees weak.

Aien recognized a lot of faces in the crowd, most of them were boys from her school as well as neighboring schools. They’d usually hang out at the night kitchen, after club activities. Kindaichi had told her they could use that as their rendezvous point but the crowd always made her rethink it.

A patch of familiar brown hair and a light voice made her clench her, fists firmly as she headed towards the Kageyama’s residence _,_ her head held high, her face flushing profusely.

_I’M SEEING HIM EVERYWHERE NOW._

_It’s not that I’m weak. I was just shocked by how sudden everything was._

A fierce grin contorted her delicate features, _Right??? I was just shocked. Of course._

She nodded vigorously, punching her fist into her palm, _That was it!_

But flashes of the warmth she had felt in his embrace and how his strong hands had grabbed hers and his tight grip that had locked on her arm as they’d run away together and the smooth motions with which his nimble fingers re-tied the strings on her eye patch….…

Aien sunk to the ground, her feet hitting the ground. The people passing by her, glanced at her in concern especially when they heard light muffled yells from the crouching figure.

She buried her head in the crook of her arms, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I’M A PERVERT. THAT’S WHAT I AM. I’M SORRY OTTOSAN.

It took her a while to continue her journey back home, but when she finally reached the Kageyama residence, she slipped out of her warm boots and ran through the empty house and collapsed on the floor of her room, grabbing her phone that lay on her bed.

She rang up the one person who’d be able to clear the fuzz in her mind. Hopping around her room nervously, she waited for the call to connect.

“Aien-chan!!”

“MISAKI PLEASE! ARE YOU BUSY?”

“No, I’m manning the counter today.” Misaki’s voice changed to a polite tone, “PLEASE COME AGAIN.”

Aien sank back at the foot of her bed, “Then I’ll just call when_

“You’ll be hearing a lot of that. And, I’m bored anyway. How you been ?” Misaki yawned.

Aien pulled off her Aoba Johsai sweater and settled more comfortably, on the ground, folding her sweater whilst nervously forming words, “I need your advice.”

“Did something happen?”, The voice on the other end had grown cautious.

Aien quickly brought Misaki up to speed, skipping her personal confusion about Oikawa, and explained her afternoon’s ordeal and massive irritation as well as the girls who had witnessed the scene and how she was probably labeled as a wanton slut and would never make a single friend at school now. She gasped for air, after her little homily, holding her chest as she did.

“Aien! Slow down!” Misaki hadn’t interrupted her rant despite her intense curiosity, “Did you just say that there’s a badass senior dude who likes you?”

“HUH??? I-I-….”, Aien began to stammer as she heard the glee in her friend's voice. “T-That’s not what I said!”

Misaki’s laughter loudened. “Wow, Aien you were so shy with boys here, and now look at you,……..”

Aien was now a stuttering mess.

“Well on a more serious tone, if those girls create a fuss, then explain the scenario to them. If it gets out of hand, slap him in front of everyone. It’s a handy trick that works in most dramas.”

Aien flinched as Misaki’s tone reached an angry crescendo, “ I SAW YOU PUT THAT IN YOUR POCKET. DO YOU WANT TO DIE, KENJI?”

There were the rough sounds of tussling and static and then, a youthful voice cried out, “AIEN!!!!! HOW ARE YOU! I MISS YOU_”

Misaki's harsh words interrupted the fresh voice that had spoken, berating her brother for his lack of manners before returning to the call, “Just ignore him, He just turned ten and is at that phase.”

Aien laughed, she missed Kenji’s energy. He’d always been a source of entertainment. “Tell him I say hi!!”

“Yeah Yeah. Continue.”

Aien took a deep breath before she rattled on, “He is so arrogant, Misa-chan. And, he acts like he owns the world. And did I tell you? He reads English literature like the ones from really renowned authors. Like the ones, I struggled to find back home. ”

Misaki groaned. “Oh no, Isn’t this like your idea of the perfect guy?”

“He quoted Henry the Sixth to me.” Aien closed her eyes, tightly, her mind replaying the moment from earlier today. Her toes curled up in excitement, she couldn’t deny that she had been impressed.

“Ah, my girl’s got her first crush.”

“Misa-chan???” Aien hadn’t heard what the girl had muttered.

“Hm???? Nothing... I’m sure the girls won’t create a fuss, Aien. And if they do, just flaunt the fact in their faces.”

Aien was shocked. “Misa! That is not me.”

DING DING. Aien jumped up at the loud doorbell.

“Misa, I think Tobio-kun is home. We have to make dinner. So, I’ll call you sometime soon.”

“See ya and STAY SAFE!!”

Aien ran to the door to welcome a grumpy Tobio who was completely covered in mud and grime. His eyes were hooded, as he muttered a hello to her. The eerie aura he had entered with, followed him as he passed by her, his shoulders slouched. His satchel hit the ground with a loud thud.

“Wha_”

“Don’t ask.” He spoke through gritted teeth as he trudged moodily towards his room, leaving a trail of mud in his wake.

Aien crinkled her nose at the mud on the floor and just as she was about to shut the door, Hinata burst into the room, throwing Aien off balance.

He was caked in mud too and his face had dried grime plastered to it. He smiled sheepishly at Aien who backed away in a mixture of fright and disgust.

“Kageyama. He has a bad temper.”

Aien didn’t respond to that.

“WAIT DID HE ENTER ALREADY???” Hinata shouted, rushing into the house, worsening the muck on the floor.

He kicked Tobio’s door open, “HOW DARE YOU WASH OFF FIRST.”

The boys began to argue, and Aien could hear the water splash onto the floorboards. She sighed as she headed to the kitchen to cook a decent meal for the three of them.

After the boys were all clean and presentable again, they sat beside her on the dining table. Hinata was apologetic about crashing at their place but he blamed it on a sulky Tobio, who had insisted on practicing on the school grounds which were damp from the previous night’s rains. Tobio refused to say a word all through dinner, chomping his rice, viciously. This didn’t hinder Hinata’s speech in any way as he had enough to talk about, for the three of them. He excitedly showed her the volleyball signs they were learning, messing up quite a few from the look of disapproval Tobio threw in his direction. He went on about the Team from Tokyo that they had battled and how Tobio and Him were known for their special attacks, and it was only when Tobio’s head hit the table with a loud bang that Hinata finally stopped his chatter.

She helped the boys lay down a futon beside Tobio’s bed and bid them goodnight, knowing very well the two would not quit bickering for a while.

In the blessed calm of her room, Aien lay down, her eyes closing in exhaustion.

* * *

~THE NEXT MORNING~

The next morning, Aien, painstakingly, packed a lunch box for herself as well as the two boys who had dark bags under their eyes, from the lack of sleep.

“Don’t stand so close to me.” Tobio snapped, grabbing his lunch box from the dining table.

“HUH? You’re the one who’s standing next to me.” Hinata jeered, standing on his tiptoes. He had donned Tobio’s clothes for the day as the ones he’d worn last night were soiled. The school shirt he wore was a few sizes too big for him, and the sleeves hung loosely down his arms.

Aien sighed, “You will wake Kiki-san up.”

That was what finally shut the two boys up. She waved them goodbye as she exited the house and headed in the direction of Kindaichi’s place.

Kindaichi was waiting outside his house and nodded at her, as she ran up to him, the cold wind whipping around her.

“I’m sorry, Tobio had a friend over.” She started apologetically but stopped as he didn't seem to pay attention to what she said.

He wasn’t much for conversation in the morning, but for some reason, he seemed sulkier than usual and kept rubbing the back of his head as he trudged the path along with her. Aien didn’t notice the tension that was being emitted from Kindaichi as she walked along with him, her thoughts elsewhere.

It was only when they finally reached school did he break the terse silence, stopping abruptly

“Have uh.. Will you be watching us play?”

Aien’s eyes widened, “UH…”. She looked back at her feet. “I-I ……”

“Kunimi said you wouldn’t come because you probably support Tobio.” His voice had an edge to it and his eyes were accusatory. “But, but you’re in Aoba Johsai now AND and..” He clenched his fists and turned away, in an attempt to calm his temper.

“Kindaichi-kun??”

He didn’t respond to her words.

She fidgeted as she spoke, “Y-You’re-You’re my friend! And….And possibly my only friend in this school…. And-And, you’ve helped me so much.” She moved a few strands of hair that the wind had blown across her face, awkwardly.

Her brown eyes met his, there wasn’t any hint of fear as she said the next few lines, “I support you as much as I support Tobio-kun.”

Kindachi blushed, backing away a little in embarrassment. The weight of how he had spoken to her hit him harshly. As he saw her smile at him, with no ill intention, he felt a pang shoot across his heart, His personal issues with Tobio was no reason for him to take it out on her. 

Aien smiled at him, sending him into a daze, “And…if Dr.Edwards thinks the stadium lights won’t be an issue, I-I will be there!”.

Kindaichi walked a little ahead of her, hiding his face from her. He had never met a girl like her before, someone so innocent and kind and yet, after everything she had been through, he had never seen her snap at anyone. He had known her for almost two months now, her pure heart could not be an act. 

“Y-yeah.”

They walked together to their classrooms on the first, bidding each other Farwell as they entered their rooms. Aien placed her satchel on the floor and lay her head onto her table, the pounding had worsened. She mentally ran through the meds she had taken in the morning, cross-checking to see if she missed out any. She hadn’t slept well the previous night as Hinata and Tobio hadn’t fallen asleep until much later and their loud voices kept waking her up, and days like that made her more susceptible to visual triggers.

Her face was paler than usual and her eyes were slightly bloodshot due to her disrupted sleep. Her usually sleek hair was knotted and the locks curled around her shoulder, and with the missing black ribbon, the strings from her eyepatch stuck out visibly amongst waves of brown hair.

“This is her class?”

“Yeah.. That’s what they said.”

The mornings were always filled with chatters and loud voices as the students who came early used it as the time to catch up on gossip.

Aien paid no mind to the conversation until she heard her own name.

“Aien something.”

Aien looked up in fright at the mention of her name and her heart sank immediately as she realized who had called her name out.

_It was them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guyss, I took forever with this chapter because no matter how many times I wrote it, I found fault with it.  
> I only upload chapters I'd want to read if I were a reader, SO FORGIVE ME IF I MISS MY DEADLINES.  
> ........  
> And sorry for the cliff XD  
> Have a Merry Week,  
> Hugs  
> Hazel


	12. Villainous Vanity and Vulturous Voids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A certain trigger sets Aien off on a dark path that she had forgotten. Meanwhile, The Interhigh draws near...

Aien looked up in fright at the mention of her name and her heart sank immediately as she realized who had called her name out.

_It was them._

She felt the nerves on her body tingle in trepidation as a strange numbness swept through her bones, as her eyes fell on the individuals at the entrance of her class. The tension in the air was palpable to everyone present. It was the ominous atmosphere of prey being hunted down by vicious predators, in this case being the high school clique of girls who were watching Aien from outside her classroom.

“OH THATS HER!!!!” The girls at the door called out in unison.

The loud voices snapped her out of her daze as she felt time unfreeze around her, the words striking her eardrums, harshly. The color drained from her face as her eyes recognized the human figurines. These were the girls who had made Oikawa his bento box, the girls who had falsely accused her of being a flirt - words which were acknowledged by Oikawa himself.

Regardless of the bleak situation and ludicrous cliche that was unfolding before her eyes, She had to show respect.

Aien stood up from her seat, unsure of what they wanted from her. The girl at the center of the mob was the one with long black hair, the pretty one, the one who had spoken to Oikawa.....She crossed her arms against her chest and beckoned at Aien to walk towards them, her head held high and her eyes, determined.

Aien heeded, walking slowly, her legs shivering a little.

_Confrontation….I-I just have to clear the air..._

Her classmates watched, unsure as to what to do. They all knew Aien to be a quiet girl and were curious as to what she could have possibly done to anger a senior. They watched her go, a lamb headed for slaughter. 

Aien felt her vision blur momentarily as the fear threatened to choke her. She stopped in front of them, her breathing hurried as she tried to focus her vision and calm herself. She hadn't wronged anyone, yet the sudden confrontation was worrisome. 

The girl with the dark black hair spoke up first, “Aien? Is it?”

Aien nodded, her head slightly bowed. “Y-Yes..”

“Yes?” She scoffed, “You must think highly of yourself if you can’t even show your seniors some respect.”

Aien’s head whipped up, “N-No I-...”

The rest of the girls behind to mutter, glaring at the insect standing in front of them. An insect that must be stopped before she spread her wings. An insect that must be crushed.

“Do you think just because Oikawa-san was kind to you, that we must treat you the same?” She glowered at the trembling girl in front of her.

Things were slowly getting out of hand, and as an indication for some respite, the bell clanged, signaling the start of the first class for the day. 

“Tch.” She spat, turning and walking out of the class, “Lunch Break. Class 2-B. We’ll see you there.”

And with that, the girls walked away.

The students who had been listening to the drama unfolding, headed back to their places sending pity filled glances at the girl who was frozen to the spot, strands of loose hair covering her face and tears that threatened to spill. It was only when she spotted her teacher walk up to her class, that Aien finally woke herself from her shock.

The worst was happening, what she had feared- her getting ousted by everyone because of the careless way Oikawa behaved with her.

She tried to put the impending danger away from her mind, and concentrate on her class, jotting down notes as she did but a wave of unexplainable anger filled her. She knew this was going to happen. For Oikawa-san, his words were for his own amusement. But for her, this could be the end of her peaceful and serene reign at Aoba Johsai.

She clenched her fist, crumpling the edge of her book, her bottom lip quivering,

_Misaki....What do I do....Should I go.....I can’t not go....What do I do…_

* * *

~Meanwhile in Class 1-B~ 

Kindaichi yawned, his mouth resembling a broad and bottomless pit, his tonsils visible. Spittle flew, hitting the white pages of the books that lay open on his desk.

Kunimi glared at him, scrunching his face at the vulgarity of the scene, “I’m just grateful that’s not mine.” He was a stickler for keeping his space organized, unlike the sleep-deprived boy seated beside him.

“Shut up, FFFFFUCK, School is so boring.” Kindaichi dropped his head with a loud thud onto the books on his desk, shutting his eyes tightly. He was looking forward to volleyball practice which began after their lunch break. Though his body was sore from all the extra practice that they were putting in, he’d choose this over poring through the small black print of their textbooks. 

Meanwhile, the heart of class 1-B was in a flurry of excitement and had a crowd of students immersed in their routine gossip, laughing out occasionally. But the intensity of the conversation was an indicator that something big had gone down- a possible scandal?

Kunimi's ears had perked up at the incessant chatter and turned to Hotaru, the boy who had once pointed Aien in the direction of where she could find Kindacihi, who was feverishly turning pages of a comic book at a rapid speed. Kunimi got his daily fill of school gossip from Hotaru who was just always UpToDate with anything that happened in their school despite his lack of social skills.

“What’s today's noise about, Hotaru?”

Hotaru only looked up after a few seconds, folding a corner of his comic, “Ah apparently Kairi and her gang of girls have it in for someone in class A.”

Kairi was one of the most popular girls in the school, given that she had studied for a few years in a fancy prep school overseas and had returned on account of her mother's remarriage. She had a perfect handle on the English language and even spoke with a foreign accent, which was one of the reasons for her rise to fame. The other reason being, her mysterious friendship with Oikawa. Apart from her fancy connections, Her looks had no parallel- with glowing and flawless, pale skin, the long black hair that hung from her shoulders shimmered like droplets on sun-kissed ocean waters. 

Kindaichi grinned, lifting his head up, finally taking part in the conversation he had initially deemed pointless, “Wow. Kairi-San is just...” He raised his hands to form a thumbs up. “Gorg.”

Kunimi shrugged, “I’m more curious as to why they’re upset with a first-year.”

Hotaru closed his comic book, as the corners of his lips lifted in amusement, “Must be something to do with Oikawa-senpai.”

“Oh?”

He nodded, resting his palms on the table. “I mean, that’s what I heard.”

Kindaichi’s grin faded, “I want to be that popular…..”, He turned to Kunimi, “Is there something wrong with me??”. He touched the top of his pointy head, deep in thought.

Kunimi frowned, ignoring his dense friend’s question, “Who’s the person they’re targeting?". A sudden thought crossed his mind and he quickly added," Is it a short girl with brown curly hair?”

Hotaru shrugged, “No idea. You should ask Rose. She seems the most excited by the drama.”

Kindaichi glanced at his friend, cluelessly. “What makes you think it's someone with brown hair?”

“Someone? “ Kunimi sighed, “I was describing Aien.”

Kindaichi was startled and was unable to form a sentence for a few seconds. After his initial shock had passed, He raised his voice as he burst out, “NO WAY. AIEN WOULD NEVER ANGER ANYONE, LET ALONE A SENIOR.”

Kunimi sighed again, lowering his voice, “I know what you think of her. But her cluelessness and innocence...can annoy most of us.” He tapped his fingers on the table, glancing at his friend through the corner of his eyes, gauging his reaction, “She’s been getting pally with Oikawa.”

Kindiachi marched up towards the group of chattering boys and girls, irritated at the accusations, “Who’s the girl from class A?”

Few of the students were miffed at his intrusion, but Rose smiled, happy with the widening audience, “Aien. That really weird gir_”

Kindaichi had walked out of the class, his face contorted in anger, not listening to the rest of her sentence.

Kunimi ran after his friend, “Let’s not be hasty. There’s nothing you can do about it. KINDAICHI.” Kunimi had raised his voice in despair, he was not going to commit social suicide for someone he didn’t even know.

Kindaichi walked into Class A, bumping into a few girls by the door, who glared at him before moving aside.

“AIEN.” Kindaichi called out, his eyes searching for her in her usual place. It was empty. Aien wasn’t in the class. Kindaichi felt his heart sink as he feared the worst.

“Aien isn’t here...” A boy on the side desk volunteered the information on observing Kindaichi’s countenance darken.

"I CAN SEE THAT. WHERE IS SHE?" He spat out, bitterness taut in his voice.

The boy shrugged, "Maybe with the seniors...."

“Why did no one help her out?”

Kunimi glanced at his watch, in a hurry to change the topic, “We have practice now.”

Kindaichi almost punched Kunimi on the face, who was shocked at the feral expression on his face, “YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.”

Kunimi ran after his friend, who had taken off from the class at the speed of light, the lapels of his jacket flying behind him.

"You can't fight her battles, Kindaichi." He spoke out, more to himself than the boy who had run off ahead.

* * *

Aien had decided to show up at the senior's classroom, her instincts told her it'd be better to deal with this before the situation worsened. Her heart on a jerky tightrope, her face pale, her fingers clenched, she headed to the place.

_Keri....Adaline....Amber.....Senti..._

Aien repeated the names in her mind, names she had learned from a girl in her class. If she played her cards right and treated them respectfully, what was the worst they could do...or so she thought.

 _These are my senpai..I have to make good with them_.

One of the cronies was waiting outside the class for Aien..She nodded," Good choice, showing up." She led the way, solemnly.

_See, Not so bad._

They entered the senior’s class, and a cluster of girls moved aside to reveal, Kairi, the exchange student who had led the morning's hunt.

She glowered at AIen, “Name.”

AIen paused before bowing, “Uh, Sugawara AIen.”

“I don’t think I have to introduce myself.”

Aien shook her head, "K-Kairi....“

"It's Kairi-senpai for you.” She was angered at Aien's light voice. She prided herself for the stand that she played in Aoba Johsai, and Aien's existence threatened her, oddly enough. 

A few girls tittered, whispering amongst themselves.

“Is she wearing an eyepatch?"

"What does she think she is?"

"Is that for the cool factor?"

Aien hadn’t expected this, and she took a step back, involuntarily Fortunately for her, Kairi was more interested in getting to the point.

“Do you know what this is?” She pointed at the girls around them.

At the lack of response from Aien, she continued, “We run Oikawa-san’s fan club. We cheer for him at every match. How many have you gone to?". She turned the last question suddenly, her eyes narrowing.

Aien was holding her breath, well aware that these were rhetorical questions. Her fingers began to count down the seconds, inconspicouly. 

“We make lunch for him, especially during the months that he’s busy with practice. We make nutritional food. WE HAVE CHARTS THAT WE FOLLOW.” She continued.

Aien nodded, her heart pounding furiously.

“Now tell me. Are you interested in him?”. She placed her hands firmly on the desk beside her.

“W-W....what?” Aien was taken aback by the direct question.

_Interested ??_

Kindaichi and Kunimi had reached the seniors class just in time to catch the last few exchanges between the army of girls and Aien, Kindaichi was all ready to burst in and help her out when Kunimi held his friend back. “Wait. Let them talk it out.”

Kindaichi looked like he wanted to argue but he understood the situation was still under control.

They stood listening in on the conversation, from the exteriors of the room.

Kairi paced beside Aien, rubbing her chin, “I thought a lot about it....”.

The numbness was back….seeping slowly…freezing her body… This was her brain's way of warning her of impending disasters.

“You give me FREAK vibes.”

_FREAK._

_SHE’S A FREAK_

The speed at which the word ignited a memory in Aien’s mind, had her dazed. Their voices were echoing in her mind. Those voices were familiar. A FREAK. 

_Why were those voices so familiar? What have I forgotten?_

Aien’s face fell forward, her bangs hiding her eyes that were slowly losing the light in them.

“You must stay away from Oikawa_”

Kairi's voice was a blur in her mind. She nodded robotically, missing the conversation as an unusual ringing noise filled her ears. All the courage she had entered the room with had vanished at the awakening of this memory.

On the warmth of a hand on her shoulder, Aien jerked, her brown eyes meeting the pair of electrifying blue ones.

“I know something about you, Aien.” She said her voice lowered. It was unsure if it was a bluff or not but Aien’s mind was in a state of shock. “If you do as I say, You’ll be fine.”

_I'll be fine?_

Aien walked out of the class, a hostile aura surrounding her as she felt a swarm of old memories resurface. Oikawa's Fanclub had misunderstood her reaction for fear at their words, but Aien had barely listened to their threats as her mind had its own plans for her.

Kindaichi and Kunimi who had been waiting for her called out to her, but she didn’t seem to hear them, walking out, her eyebrows scrunched in thought. The boys hadn't stepped in as they hadn't noticed the internal turmoil Aien was fighting.

“AIEN?”

They lost sight of her as she turned a corner.

Kindaichi turned to Kunimi, accusingly, “I should have said something to them.”

* * *

~The next two weeks at Aoba Johsai- A Progressive Descent into madness~

“Isn’t that the girl?”

“Yeah. Kairi said something about her.”

“Oh, the one who got up front with Oikawa?”

The news had spread like wildfire in the school, the truth twisting as it spread from ear to ear.

These were voices, Aien was getting used to as she passed crowds that she was usually invisible to. They didn’t hurt her as much as she thought they would, the constant attention, she was drawing was what scared her.

Ever since her memory had been stirred by that event, she couldn’t help recall that one year, the year she had turned fifteen…She hadn’t gone to school for that year, rushing between hospitals and therapy….. There was a reason she locked those memories up. Every time she recalled it, a ringing sensation filled her eardrums, blocking everything else out. It was a slate of black that separated her from reality, leaving only a shell of herself. Despite her efforts to shake the memories away, her willpower was fading.

Aien felt the happiness leave her heart as the invisible walls of joy that she had experienced during her time in Miyagi- Cooking with Tobio-kun, Her part-time job with quirky partners, The book club, Her walks with Kindaichi in the morning…...floated to the back of her mind, leaving images she didn’t want to recall…..Blood….Lots of Blood….loud screams….Hands that tried to hold her up..…..

She gripped her head tightly as the voices in the halls faded in her mind and the ones in her's took over.

Tobio who had been occupied with his practices hadn’t noticed the shift in his cousin’s mood and atmosphere who had fallen silent at their dinners.

Aien had noticed her classmates avoid her a little, as they isolated anyone who got into tiffs with seniors. At first, it didn't hurt as she never was close to any of them, but the accusatory looks added to her mental unraveling. Her chest hurt as she watched the life that she had built slowly come apart. Her mind was slowly forgetting the reason this had all happened, her mind was decaying slowly…disassociating.

She had robotically avoided the volleyball team, avoiding Oikawa-san who she hadn’t encountered ever since she had left him, in her rage, at the foot of the stairs but his face was slowly fading from her mind, replaced with distorted versions of the chiseled face she had once adored.

Kindaichi who had beaten himself up for not stepping up for Aien, anxiously tried to talk to her every morning but could feel the wall of distance between them. He knew she was hiding the world of pain she was experiencing but he was unsure of how to help. A part of him confused her turmoil, for anger at his betrayal.

My meds…My meds….She whispered to herself every morning, nervously swallowing them as she did. She was not going to let herself have another attack. Her meds would keep it at bay. But what about the mental turmoil which had never left her….ever since that day. The side effects of her AED’s, which her body had overcome through years of usage, were now back due to the fragile state of her mind. The side effects worsened the dark fuzz inside her brain.

Her friend from the book club, Luna had changed seats and was with another group. Aien didn’t try to talk to her either, accepting things as they were.

She walked the school halls, her face expressionless. All this was déjà vu for her……A déjà vu she had forgotten.

Most of the nights, sleep evaded her as she replayed fragments of memories that floated in the interiors of her mind. Other nights, she woke up in cold sweat from vivid dreams that haunted her.

Unbeknownst to her and the family around her, she was slowly shutting down…It was her slow waltz into the darkness….

She didn’t notice as she walked by two boys who whispered to each other on noticing her, as they spotted her tear-stained face. The faces around her were fading and had been replaced with blanks.

She walked on…..The word Freak kept playing in her mind……A memory that she had repressed…..

Her father…….Roses…… or were they ......Petals of Blood?

* * *

Oikawa had his legs stretched out in front of him as he stared at the bracket list for the schools, competing in the Inter-highs that the Coach had handed him. His eyes scanned the list of schools jotted, pausing briefly on Karasuno that was seeded in their block. 

"So many schools that I've never even heard of ..." He muttered to himself.

Iwaizumi stormed into the room, annoyed with the number of girls giggling outside the club room. The fangirls had worsened in the past week, as they were there to cheer Oikawa on as the deadline for The Interhighs drew closer. The club room was stocked with all kinds of healthy snacks that the girls had cooked, little did they know, that Oikawa barely ate anything they made. The rest of the team gladly accepted the food and gorged on the food after practice.

He was about to grab Oikawa by the collar, and force him to call off the throng of squealing energy, ”You little...runt.....”. Iwaizumi had been on edge himself, picking fights with Oikawa over the smallest of matters, going as far as to, slam a cleaning mop at the latter's face, bruising him slightly.

Oikawa laughed, brushing his friend's hands from his torso, “Iwa-chan”. He held out the bracket to redirect the abundance of hostile energy from his friend's persona, “We might play KSH if they manage to beat Date Tech.”

“Isn’t that the team that destroyed them last year?” Iwaizumi glanced at the sheet, momentarily distracted by the black print of school names.

“Yes” Oikawa returned to his stretching, his voice muffled a little, as his face fell forward, his hands touching his toes, “We’ll keep an eye on them during their first match...That duo interests me.”

Iwaizumi scratched his head, “Right, we don’t have to play in the first round.”

Hanamaki and Matsukawa sauntered in, dropping down on the floor beside Oikawa, “They have a good team.”

Oikawa smiled demonically, “Which is why I’m going to have the time of my life-crushing them.”

Their conversation continued, with tactics and plans and constant jabs at Tobio and the other members of Karasuno. Oikawa felt a deadly calm fill him, he was confident with his team and the control he had over them. His skills at setting were unchallenged in the prefecture....Unless Tobio adapted prodigiously. The very thought made him glower at the ground.

Matsukawa jerked, remembering something, “Oh, by the way, that short girl who Oikawa talks to…We passed by her today... The one he got a picture with.”

Iwaizumi turned to him, “Oh,Aien.......Okay?”

“Tch…She looked….like she was crying.” Hanamaki interjected, turning to Matsukawa, “You should have said that first.”

The latter shrugged in response.

Oikawa didn’t respond, his knee was hurting him again. He loosened the white tape, revealing a deep bruise. “Ah.”

The boys exchanged glances but kept their silence. The two had seen the picture on Oikawa’s phone, that he had coerced her into taking with him and had mercilessly teased him, even though they were aware of their friend’s array of girls.

Iwaizumi had lost track of the conversation, pointing at Oikawa’s knee, “You better take care of that.”

“Aye aye, mom.”

“HUHHHHH”

* * *

~A day before the Interhighs - The Smoldering Wick that was not snuffed out~

Oikawa strolled down the dimly lit roads, the Interhighs commenced from the next day. The sky was a collision of orange and red hues that leaked artistically, into each other, it’s embrace casting a warm glow on the Town below. The Aoba Johsai team had decided to take a break from practice to allow everyone to relax and wind down before their big day. Iwaizumi had specifically threatened to attack Oikawa if he didn't rest his body, but the restlessness had him pacing back and forth in the rooms of his house. After a few hours of uneasiness, he had decided to take a stroll, to calm himself down. Unintentionally, He ended up passing by the proud and tall gates of Aoba Johsai, the cold breeze from the twilight skies whipping around his face. Pulling the collar of his jacket closer to his body, he shivered a little. The tips of his nose had reddened from the unforgiving cold. He tucked his hands deep into his jacket's welcoming pockets and continued his walk, observing the crowd around him. The smells from the night market were tempting and Oikawa found himself beside the alluring warmth of the kitchen. The coals from the fireplace were a fascinating thrill for his eyes, as the flames flickered and danced to their own rhythm. His eyes watched the customers, most of whom were teenagers from the neighboring schools. He usually enjoyed listening in on the bustling life of the youngsters that frequented the kitchen but on this particular evening, the noises in his head were louder than those around him. 

He leaned against the wall, sighing loudly to himself. He was aware that his body needed the rest, but the four walls in his room made him anxious. His fingers were itching to play. His heart was ready for victory. Yet there was an underlying foreboding that kept him pacing.

It was at that moment, amidst the battles that were raging in his mind, that he noticed a slouching figure with brown curls that tumbled from the sides, walk mindlessly past the night kitchen, a satchel hanging loosely by her side. The figure was pitiful and could have easily been ignored had it not been for the glow of the fires from the kitchen, that highlighted her face, and made Oikawa recognize her features- features that were crestfallen and void. Confusion filled his face as he wondered what she could be doing at these hours of the evening. 

Hanamakki’s words echoed in his mind, “She was crying you know..”

Oikawa hadn’t had any encounters with her the past two weeks, and it was only now, as his eyes watched her that he realized that a part of him had actually missed his light moments with her. He had been so focused on the upcoming match, that he barely left the Volleyball room all week, missing all his classes in the process. He noticed she wasn’t dressed for the cold, the cream overly loose Aoba Johsai sweater, that had slipped off one of her shoulder's, was her only form of protection.

“Aien-chan! Been a while!” He finally walked up to her, wondering if light banter would be the cure to the storms in his heart.

Aien didn’t react to his words like she normally would. Instead, she turned mechanically towards his direction, before stopping in her tracks. The dark circles under her eyes were hidden by her eyepatch and the dim lighting that the sky cast.

“Hmm?” Oikawa was surprised. _Where was the feisty Aien he was used to?_

She didn’t say a word, pausing in her path, the lobes of her ears were red from the bitter cold, her eyes settling on nothing in particular. Her mind hadn't registered the individual in front of her. The ringing in her ears hadn't left her since the stirring of that memory.

“You should dress warm_

“I have to go.” She answered robotically, her voice in a low monotone. She had to leave.... She had to leave before the ringing got worse, She had to take her meds. Her meds....

_My meds.....Yes Yes...._

“hmm?”

She turned and began to walk on, her stride as mechanical as her voice. Oikawa was perplexed, he allowed her to gain a little distance, before catching up to her. He had been born with good instincts and his radar was on high alert. Under the hues of the skies, he could now see her face clearly- sallow, pale and expressionless, a humanoid puppet.

“Did something happen?”

She didn’t respond, and Oikawa wondered if Aien was processing what he said, her eyes looked hollow and unfazed by his presence. It was as if she was there yet not really in their plane of existence. Devoid of her hazel, twinkling eyes and the innocent blush that he had grown accustomed, were causes of alarm for him.

"You should.....be scared of me." Her words were low, and Oikawa barely caught a word that she said. She seemed surprised at the words leaving her mouth, her hands clasping her mouth in desperation. Tremors traveled through her body, causing her to shut her eyes tightly.

“Aien.”

He stepped in front of her, Hanamaki’s words on a loop in his mind. A part of him regretted not searching for her that day after what his friends had told him.

Her head fell forward, as she stopped in her tracks, her hair tangling around her forming a hood of despair.

Oikawa moved the curls from his face, his jaw tightening. He was now absolutely sure that something had gone wrong. This wasn’t the Aien who defiantly told him off whenever she could.

He, wordlessly removed the purple muffler around his neck, the cold wind, immediately stinging his bare neck. He grimaced slightly before placing it around the girl’s neck. His eyes widened as a pair of ice-cold hands, clamped onto his arms.

Her head was still bent low, “ I can’t.” Her voice was trembling...

Oikawa ignored the cold cuffs around his wrists as he wrapped the muffler around her neck.

“You’re going to catch a deadly cold.”

He then removed her ice-cold hands gently, “Raise your head, Aien.”

Her hands fell to her side, trembling a little. Yet she didn’t respond to his voice.

“Aien…”

She slowly raised her head.

A pang shot through Oikawa.

Hollow eyes.

They didn’t say a word for a few moments.

Oikawa wasn’t sure of what had happened to Aien, but he knew that she wasn’t really processing him. Though he had teased her on the day of their encounter at the school's health ward, the words on her bracelet about her visual epilepsy had awoken his curiosity that had led him to read up on it. And he remembered reading up on visual hallucinations and how a lot of their medications had side effects, which affected them and led to severe forms of depression.

But what had triggered this.. she was fine all this time. What was Aien struggling with?

He was frustrated at his helplessness, he wanted to pull her out of this but ..

His phone rang out into the buzz of the evening,. Aien didn’t budge, staring at him blankly, not blinking once.

Oikawa apologized before picking the call, “Takeru?”

He quickly assured his nephew he’d be home soon and patiently listened as his nephew reprimanded him for leaving the house when he was supposed to be taking care of him. Aien hadn’t stopped looking at him, blankly, a single hollow hazel eye watching him, the focus in her eye, sent a slight shiver down his spine.

“Follow me.”

“I cant.” She wasn’t blinking.

He sighed, before pulling her gently along with him.

At the night market, he ordered two warm meat buns and shoved one of them into her cold hands. “Eat.”He ordered.

They moved to a quieter side beside a tall Oaktree. A few people stood scattered around the tree, not paying attention to the duo who had walked up.

Oikawa hadn’t touched the meat bun as he had ordered it for his nephew. Aien hadn’t touched hers either.

“Aien.” He flinched as he pushed her cold hands towards her face. “Eat.”

On finally taking a bite of the warm food, the color started to return to her face, but her eyes still were glazed.

He leaned against the oak tree they were standing under, staring up at the starry sky. His heart had finally calmed and his mind was clearer than before, he laughed lightly to himself before impulsively commenting, “I don’t feel as restless ever since I saw you. “ He immediately regretted what he said out loud. But he didn’t have to worry, Aien hadn’t heard him, as she ate her food slowly. He tutted to himself as he noticed her hair tie had loosened and was getting in the way of her meal but he didn’t comment on it, watching her with eyes that studied her every move.

After she was done eating, her face wasn’t as pale as usual and her head fell forward, once again. “I-..”

“hmm? Come, I’ll walk you back.” He dusted himself.

Aien turned to him, “I’m so-sorry…I-…”. The void of memories in her mind had broken and she was surprised at the boy who stood in front of her.

He pulled the muffler around her neck, higher to cover her mouth, cutting the words he didn’t want to hear, “Lead the way, Aien-hime.” He fake bowed, his eyes glistening. He didn’t miss the lack of reaction from her dead eyes. He didn’t want her apologizing to him. A part of him that he didn’t understand wanted her to smile again at him.

She walked on, her steps steady yet slow. Oikawa walked beside her, his hands tucked in his pocket.

They didn’t talk much, Oikawa was concerned about the girl, but the impending match of the next day was stronger in his mind.

Aien stopped at a lane, her voice muffled by the cloth wrapped around her face, “Oikawa-san…I cant.”

“Yes Yes. You can't.” He nodded, thinking to himself in relief. She had finally said his name.

“Now lead the way or we’re gonna spend the whole night out here.”

They walked on for a bit before reaching a house with purple wisterias. Aien paused at the gate and said in a low tone, “Home.”

He dropped her off at a gate, “This is it?”

She nodded. He hadn’t noticed the nameplate at the gate. The nameplate that, boldly read “THE KAGEYAMAS”. His eyes were fixed on the girl in front of him.

He waved her off as he realized she wasn’t going to say anything more, turning to walk away.

“Oikawa-san.”

He stopped in his tracks, turning, dreading what she would say.

Her head was low, and a few tears hit the ground as she said, “ Thank you.”

He smiled at her. She was finally showing emotions. He didn’t want to leave her alone, but she was home now and he didn’t want to impose.

“Don’t get my muffler all teary now. “

He headed towards his place, his mind once again focused on the game ahead of him.

After nights of endless torturous dreams, this particular night, her eyes closed not too long into the night and she dreamt of a dying flame. A dying flame that hadn't been put out....A flame that refused to die down despite its low chances of survival. Her lips quivered into the semblance of a smile, in her sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guyssss, FIRST OF LET ME APOLOGISE FOR MY DELAY IN UPLOADING!  
> To make up for that, I've actually combined two chapters in one so this is a rather long chapter. As of why I've been late is because I've been swamped with all sorts of work and deadlines and I barely scraped through.  
> I've been dealt with a new timetable which I haven't gotten used to yet. But, I'll do my best to keep up with my uploads. If it's a little erratic, its just until I get a hang of my time.  
> Ly all,  
> A very sleepy Hazel <3


	13. Painstaking Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aien runs away from the Miyagi Prefecture and back to Nagoya, Meanwhile, The Interhighs is in full swing!

Aien’s light hazel eyes fluttered open, a feathery feeling enveloping her lashes as her pupils tried to adjust to the warm orange glow of the room. It took her a few seconds to break the woozy feeling that made it harder for her to move her limbs, as though she had been asleep for a long time, and she sat up with a jerk, the bed creaking slightly under her. Her eyes widened on seeing a patch of black hair sprawled out onto her bed, hands tightly clenching the blanket covers, a body that was seated on a chair next to the bed. Aien reached out gingerly towards the silky tresses before retrieving her hand.

_Misaki?_

Aien sat up slowly, trying to remember how she’d ended up in this room again, the four cream walls filled her with an unexplainable joy as memories of her days in Nagoya flooded her weary mind, prying open the icy cage that had her shackled for weeks - even if just by a little. The icy monstrosity that had her enslaved to its chills and flurries of fear and had haunted her every living moment. There was a splotch of paint that didn’t go with the beige color of the room and she smiled fondly as she recalled that it was from the time Misaki and she had stayed up all night working on banners for the Store, the cracks on the walls were just as she remembered and the faint smell of pinewood was just as subtle as it always was. As something warm rolled down her face, Aien brought her hands up to her face and was surprised to feel a tear roll down her face.

She’d missed her life in the city, this was where she had grown up and experienced life. This was her home.

Her sudden movements had awoken the sleeping girl who sat up straight, rubbing her eyes, “Aien?”, She muttered unintelligibly, taking a few moments to get her bearings.

Her yawn froze mid-way on seeing the hazel-eyed girl watch her keenly, the warm glow making her eyes look more green than hazel, the flecks of gold scattered around her iris sparkled like tiny orbs borne by fireflies.

Misaki grabbed the sheepish girl, pulling her into a bear hug, a few tears spilling from her eyes, as words tumbled out from her mouth, “You stupid, Stupid girl.” Her embrace tightened causing the smaller girl to splutter as the breath from her lungs thinned, “ I WAS SO SCARED, AIEN.”

Misaki broke the embrace, only after Aien who had been squished, tapped her arms lightly. Her eyes were still filled with tears and her hands tightly clutched at Aien’s petite shoulders, refusing to let go.

Aien’s heart that had frozen with the weeks of mindless thoughts that surrounded her, began to splutter with a warmth that spread to her toes. Her memories rearranged themselves in her head and she recalled how she had shown up at Misaki’s house in a dazed state, having run away from the Miyagi prefecture, and hopping onto the Shinkansen, that led her back to where it had all began. Aien had been a mess when she landed at Misaki’s place. Unknown to Aien, Misaki who had moved out of her parent's place, came rushing over in a frenzy when her parents called her up. Aien had been slightly delirious as she rambled on a garbled set of words, stressing on the words ‘blood, knives, meat buns, Volleyball’ and finally collapsed into Misaki’s arms, her breathing slow and her pulse tense.

Dr.Haku, Aien’s neurologist from Nagoya had paid their place a visit, and after checking Aien’s vitals, and her medications, explained that Aien probably was stuck in a deep-set hallucination loop -probably triggered by some event in her reality. He had dealt with the girl during worse attacks and was sure this was nothing close to that. He had suggested allowing the girl to rest and told the concerned Misaki to get Aien to pay him a visit when she came to. Misaki had then telephoned a frantic Kiki-san and apologized for her friend’s sudden uncalled for disappearance. Kiki-san who had been beside herself with worry that something could have gone wrong with her only niece- her brother’s daughter, was relieved and suggested allowing Aien to stay over until she was ready to get back.

“Misa-chan.”

Misaki grabbed the girl into a hug again, her voice taut with emotions that were very unlike her usual person. “It felt like I lost you again.”

Aien’s eyes widened as the guilt hit her.

She tightened her hold on the soft fabric of Misaki’s shirt, “Nev-Never Misa.”

“I just want to keep you with me and protect you…Y’know?”

Aien laughed, pulling away from the girl, “ If only that was a possibility.”

They spoke for a while, laughing lightly at memories from their times together. Misaki began to bring Aien up to speed on all that she had missed as showed her a flurry of photos of Kenji at the city fair, pictures of Arenne- Misaki's sort-of boyfriend who had just gotten himself a job as a baker, Her new place near the bakery-because she craved freedom and no other reason. Misaki denied her love for him with a stoic expression, making Aien giggle at her friend's obliviousness.

“Misa-chan…”

“And this pic_” She looked up, “Yeah?”

Aien fiddled with the strings of her jacket, “I ended up thinking about dad.”

Misaki clenched her fists, as she tried to choose the best words to use, “Aien…”

Aien shook her head, “I know what you think of him but, he’s my father, Misa.”

“Yes. But, he's also the reason you spiral into insanity most of the times.” Misaki finally spat the words she'd been holding back. “I won't let …let", Her voice broke off.

“I won't let you break down again.” Misaki finished firmly, not what she had started to say. But her personal opinions on Aien’s late father’s selfishness was a topic for another day.

She finally stood up, her heart heavy when she recalled how her best friend had gone through a year of breakdowns and constant hospitalization after her father's passing, “Get some rest, I’ll set up an appointment with Dr.Haku for tomorrow.”

Misaki paused by the door and turned to see Aien's tired eyes close once more. The girl though pale, was no comparison to the girl of a year ago, who'd lost weight, had sunken cheeks, could barely recognize anyone, and had suffered from frequent seizures. It had been the collective efforts of Miskai's family and Dr.Haku that had pulled the girl out of the abysmal pits of hells.

Aien had fallen asleep, her chest heaving rhythmically. 

_I won't let him take you away from us again._

~The next day~

Kenji groaned, “I LOST AGAIN.”

“KEEP IT QUIET U, UGLY DISGUSTING PERSON.” Misa snapped at her younger brother who was sprawled out onto the couch and was yelling at his Gameboy as his character was defeated once again.

The constant ringing in Aien’s ear had reduced, and after meeting up with Dr.Haku, who had after checking her neural activity and running some tests, made arrangements with her current doctor and changed a few of her medications, to reduce the side effects that were influencing her mood. She hadn’t contacted her aunt during her time in Nagoya as Misaki had promised her that she’d taken care of it. But as she spotted her phone lying beside her bed, she couldn’t help but feel she had forgotten something important and reached out for it.

“Oh I forgot to tell you, Tobio called.” Misaki called out as she painted her nails, “A lot.”

“H-he did?? What did he say, I have to call him back.” Aien immediately dialed his number, the feeling that she had missed something grew stronger as she waited patiently for him to pick her call, her heart beating with equal parts of excitement as well as frustration.

The phone rang for a while and was met with silence. He wasn’t answering the call. She tried a few more times before giving up with an annoyed sigh.

She turned to Misaki, “What did he say?”

Misaki held out her fingers, “Pink Or Red highlights?”

“Pink.” She nodded, impressed at her friend's nail art skills but more concerned for her sullen cousin, “Misa, What did he say?”

“Hmm?” She scrunched her eyebrows as she tried to recall the hurried conversation she had had with the boy the day Aien was brought home. “I think he asked about you.” Her voice trailed off as she thought deeply, “OH and Something about some match.”

“MATCH!? DID HE WIN?” Aien squealed, this was what she had forgotten. The Interhighs. The official match!

“I don’t know, Aien. I was so worried about you.

Aien slammed her fist into her palm, disappointed that she had missed it, “THE MATCH.”

Kenji giggled, “THE MATCH YAYYY”

~At around the same time, hundreds of miles away~

Oikawa had a towel splayed across his shoulders as he walked out of the stadium after his team’s victory against Karasuno, they’d be proceeding to the Quarterfinals the next day. He had been able to read most of the moves during their match, and he had to grudgingly admit to himself that he hadn't crushed them like he had expected to. What had him beyond himself wit surprise was the growth spurt of his junior. Tobio had made a good choice breaking free from his Junior School group because he was no longer the selfish King of the court but a demonic setter who had grown to develop a bond with his current teammates. This annoyed Oikawa as a part of him was terrified that since they had barely stood up to Karasuno.

_How did they have any chance with Shira__

“Oikawa.”

He spun around to face a stone-cold Iwaizumi, who had walked up to his side, silently. The two didn’t have to say anything to each other, they knew what the other was thinking, their silence speaking the words that they couldn’t form.

Kindaichi, followed by a very tired Kunimi who was leaning against his side, walked up to the bus and supported his friend up the flight of steps, they had won the match but they hadn’t had an upper hand in any way. They had been so close to losing, the edge that Aoba Johsai was supposed to have over most teams in the prefecture was starting to be non-existent.

Oikawa forced a smile on his face, a smile that didn’t reach his cold brown eyes, “Iwa-chan, Let’s go.” His voice didn’t contain the light humor that it normally held.

Iwaizumi looked like he wanted to say something but stopped himself and he walked by his friend, in silence, his head dropping forward.

Oikawa found himself staring at the silhouette of his sullen junior who was a distance away from their bus. Tobio looked devastated, as he stood away from his team, his shoulder slightly hunched. Yet there was something familiar in his defiant face and his posture, and it suddenly brought up an image of Aien in his mind, her face, defiant. He blinked as in place of Tobio, he saw Aien frown at the ground beneath her as she picked up her volleyball bag and slung it across her shoulder.

He stumbled backward as 'Aien' turned in his direction, her glare deepening before turning away. Oikawa didn't look away, the mirage fading and Tobio entering his vision once again.

Oikawa frowned as he entered the Aoba Johsai bus, confused with why his mind had conjured up an image of her when he had looked at Tobio.

~The Next day~

“I'm ready, Misa.”

The two girls stood at the train station, and faced each other, to bid each other a farewell once again.

Misaki took in a deep breath, a sign that she was switching to lecture mode, and stared the shorter girl down as she spoke in a deadly calm tone, “Sugawara Aien.”

Instinctively, Aien straightened up her slouching shoulders and almost saluted Misaki in her confusion at being addressed so formally.

“Promise me this.” She held out her pinky finger, as she closed her eyes and continued, “No matter how bad things get, that you won’t give up.” Her eyes still closed tightly, “That you won't forget that you’re loved.”

On the curling of another finger around her pinky, Misaki opened her eyes, Aien smiled up at her, her smile curving at its corners, “I promise Misa.”

Their farewell was painful, yet Aien was leaving as a stronger girl. She didn't intend to run away from her fears any longer. 

Miyagi Prefecture had not seen it’s last of the almost five-foot, aura of purity and warmth.

~Tohaku Station, Miyagi Prefecture~ 

To Aien’s delight, at the Tohoku station, stood a tall and sullen Tobio, who barely nodded at her as she approached him, having missed seeing the presence she had grown used to.

Aien couldn’t help but feel déjà vu of their meeting a few months ago, “Tobio-kun..uh thank you for-“

“Mom made me.” He spoke shortly, turning on his heels and walking ahead, his hands deeply nested in the pockets of his cargo trousers.

Aien silently followed him, surprised and hurt at his curtness. She finally burst out after the silence got unbearable, “Tobio-kun if I did something-“

“No. you didn’t.” He cut her off, his fist clenching at his side and his shoulders slouched over. He was perplexed at the fury that had built up inside of him.

“B-But you…..”, She stopped herself as she took a deep breath, “How was your match?”

He ignored her question as he quickened his pace, putting a large distance between them.

“Misaki told me you called about the match that ah I’m not sure... Was it with Aoba_” She had to jog to keep up with him.

“JUST STOP! OKAY?” He raised his voice, turning back furiously. She bumped into his chest, at the momentary break in his powerful stride. His pale fingers, clamped onto his mouth as he realized he had lashed out unintentionally at his cousin,.

Aien, who had been shocked and had taken a step back, instinctively, was immediately silent.

Tobio and her fell into a restless quiet for a few moments, their eyes locked onto each, a certain blue pair, a myriad of emotions and a certain hazel set, a wide-eyed assortment of shock. He muttered something along the lines of having to go someplace and ran away with all the strength he could muster, his face contorted with a complex set of emotions.

Aien watched him disappear from her view, her heart sinking. She wondered what had gone down at The Interhigh tournament and sank to the ground, as she realized that she hadn't been there for her brother during those matches. He though as sullen as they came, was internally a warm-hearted and kind person, and they had grown attached to each other over, complementing each other in every way possible.

As she headed home, she thought back to the times they’d had together - him falling asleep in her room as he kept an eye on her after her mild attack, him eating natto with her (despite his obvious hatred for the fermented item), their grocery trips together, him listening to her rant about the books she’d read( though he’d fallen asleep during those rants).

Kiki-san wasn’t home, her work timings had been inflexible after a patient with four heart surgeries was assigned under her care. The keys for the house were at their usual spot, under the only pot in the garden – a rather old and withering plant, sat weakly in it.

She entered her room and was surprised to see that her blankets had been folded and the room looked cleaner than she had left it. On the desk, sat a picture of Tobio, Hinata, and her, all posing with tongues stuck out. She paused at the picture and picked it up in her hand, staring at their smiling faces.

_Oh, how the tides change…_

On her bed lay a muffler, a purplish woolen muffler, that was most definitely not hers. She picked up the soft muffler in her hands, running the fabric in her hands, a memory of a pair of hands wrapping the woolen entrapment around her neck flashed into her mind. She flinched dropping the muffler back to the floor and walked backward until her body slammed against the wall.

_Oikawa-san…_

She grabbed the muffler and stuffed it into a small bag, determined to give it back to him the next time they met. On an impulse, she brought the muffler up to her face and felt the soft fabric against her warm face, the faint smell of cinnamon and…was that Oikawa's smell. She was unable to place what the smell was, but it was a nice smell.

_I’M A PERVERT!!_

She slammed the muffler into the bag, and turned away, her eyes looking around her room for a hidden camera that could have recorded her horrendous and despicable act.

After mindlessly cleaning up her already clean room for the next hour, she decided she couldn't take it anymore. She was going to confront Tobio.

An evil gleam lit her light eyes, as she decided to use the ‘I’ll tell your mom’ card. She pulled her door open, still smiling to herself, and stopped in her tracks as she saw a shadow hovering outside her door. He seemed to be rehearsing something as he mumbled to himself, pacing by her door. He jumped backward as though caught in action when he saw Aien watching him curiously.

“I-I uh hmm er..”, He scratched his head as he looked everywhere but at the person in front of him.

“Tobio-kun”, She decided, determinedly. “I’m sorry I was not there for you.”

“thwip* Tobio felt his cheeks color as embarrassment and guilt built inside him, “B-Ba-BAKA I’M SNUFF-SMOOF-SMOOFY-SORRY.” He finally managed, after struggling for a while with words that sounded similar. He looked at his feet, a defiant expression back on his face as he explained the reason for his snappy countenance, “We lost to Aoba Johsai.”

Aien paled at the news. She leaned against the wall as she realized why Tobio was so upset.

“I-I wanted to win…especially … when it comes to him.” He leaned his body against the wall opposite Aien, looking back up at her with a defeated expression on his face.

Aien had never seen the Aoba Johsai team in action and so at the moment, the only picture that passed her mind was a tall brown-haired boy, with a handsomely annoying smirk on his perfectly chiseled face, turning his nose up at the two peasants who were discussing him in the comfort of their house. She glared, angry at herself for not being with Tobio.

“I should have been here.”

Tobio didn’t reply to her but his silence meant that he'd had wanted her there.

“Oikawa-san who leads the team…” he started

Aien for some reason felt guilt rise up in her heart at the mention of Oikawa’s name, and not to mention, the clear memory of cinnamon and…

“He’s someone…”, He looked into her eyes, his blue eyes, intense coals of fire. “Someone I want to stand on the court, against, and win.”

Aien had been oblivious to the rivalry between the two schools all this time and was now very sure, that the mass of butterflies in the pit of her stomach was guilt.

“We have one more chance though”, He mistook the guilty expression on her face for sadness, “Aoba Johsai lost against another power school .”

“Oh.” Aien finally spoke out, her guilt vanishing as her priorities became clearer, family over anyone.

They spoke for a while, and Aien animatedly told him about how Kenji, Misaki's younger aspired to become a volleyball player and she had promised to bring Tobio to Nagoya to teach him. Tobio embarrassedly told her how Hinata and he had screamed their lungs dry the day after the match and got told off by a few teachers. He went on to admit that he had missed her company, though he looked away from her as he said it, his tone barely a whisper.

The two of them had sunk to the ground during the duration of their conversation, Tobio’s long legs stretched out in front of him.

“Tobio-kun?”

“hmm?”

“I promise, I won’t be selfish again.”

Tobio raised his palm up, and with his other hand, gently pressed the center of his palm with his thumb.

Aien was thrilled that he’d initiated their secret hand symbol and repeated it, the two of them laughing as they did.

As Tobio continued to talk about his match with Aoba Johsai, he gestured widely and told her every set he had been happy with, along with how He had been benched for a set and didn’t miss out on a single detail. Though his eyes had initially looked defeated, speaking about the sport he loved, had brought back the glint in his sapphire blue eyes.

Aien felt her mind drift away a little as she thought to herself,

 _This feels like home too, Misaki_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being around 6K words so I had to split it into two chapters, so I don't get to post one of my favorite scenes :(   
> But, now I'll definitely have a chapter up for next week!  
> Stay fire,  
> Love  
> Hazel
> 
> P.S YURI ON ICE AHHHHHHHHHHH


	14. Fete with Fate’s Minions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The after-effects of the deadly Interhighs pt 2

After the week with Misaki and the change in her prescription medications, Aien was feeling a lot like her usual self although Dr.Haku had made it clear that she was not to exert herself. Her vivid evocations had faded to the back of her mind- lingering as they always did, despite the girls' resolution to come to terms with her past as she once did during her year off. As a victim of obstinately uncontrollable neural explosions, some of her mental blackouts were not in her control, but she was determined to stay in control for as long as she could, for as long as her mind held out.

She had to go back to school after her week of missing out on classes, the pangs of fear that she had felt at the thought of entering the swarm of wolves were daunting but Aien had a new weapon in her arsenal, newfound courage that gave her strength…strength as she realized she was not fighting this alone, that there were people who loved her and people who were not going to leave her side. Misaki’s words played in her mind, invigorating her mental defenses.

Wavy, adorably coiffured brown hair held together with a jaunty black bow that fell past her shoulders and was just a little short of touching her waist, bangs falling onto her black eyepatch, few strands falling onto the other hazel eye, the oversized cream sweater, the bracelet that lightly dangled from her dainty wrist - It was like nothing had changed.

Aien entered the school canteen, ignoring the dirty looks from a few girls as they whispered furiously amongst each other. She looked around the throngs of students, her pale face taut with concentration as she searched for them. She was a girl with a mission. Misaki’s words had been taken to heart, nothing and no one in life were going to determine how she lived hers, her life would be lived at her pace.

_Stay away from Oikawa-san?_

The whispering grew louder and louder, but to Aien who’s keen eyes were searching the crowd for those familiar faces, they were but a mild disturbance to an otherwise pleasant day.

_I would love to._

On spotting Kindaichi and the volleyball gang, gathered at the table Aien nervously began to approach them.

_But, what can I say…Something keeps drawing me closer to him the more I pull away._

She was a few steps away from turning around and running out of the canteen when Kindaichi smiled at her, waving at her and moving aside to give her place, she shook her head as she approached him, her eyes still scanning the table. Disappointed, She leaned closer to him and lowered her voice as she asked him the question on her mind. Kindaichi frowned but quickly answered her, baffled.

Aien smiled and thanked him, before waving and running off, oblivious to Kiara’s squad’s fury.

“THAT BITCH_” Kiara started. And a bunch of girls joined in dissing Aien for approaching their most popular sports team so casually.

Kunimi scoffed to himself before grabbing Kindaichi’s juice box, all this drama called for a very interesting high school experience. Kindiachi scratched his head in confusion and waved back at the retreating Aien.

Aien stepped out of the school halls and ran to the place where it had all started, the place where their fates had entangled in the most unbecoming manner yet there she was – knotted in fate’s trap.

Yet the young damsel was unaware of what her heart felt, or of the gradual quickening of her pulse or of the faint nervousness in the pits of her belly.

A series of thuds alerted her as she stood outside the room that read “ONLY TEAM MEMBERS ALLOWED IN”

She sighed before pushing the door open, Kindaichi had explained to her, it was just to keep Oikawa’s Fanclub away, that the sign didn’t actually stand for what the bold letters declared.

Wavy brown hair that didn’t stand as flamboyantly as it usually did, due to it being weighed down by perspiration, evidence to the fact that he had probably been at it for hours, The white knee band that was wrapped tightly around his right leg stood out clearer than usual. Strong arms that moved inhumanely through the air as it struck down a volley of balls from the cart beside him. As his shirt moved from his vigorous motion, it displayed hard skin in its place- A stomach that been trained for years, and was now just muscle.

Oikawa stood in his full glory as he with passion fervently slammed ball after ball down against the paneling of the floor. To an untrained eye, his movements were hard to follow. He cursed under his breath as he slammed each ball down, the same lines falling from his lips, HIT IT. HIT IT. HIT IT.

At the last ball in the cart, he jumped into the air, like a bird taking flight, his knees cutting through the air, to enhance his aerial position, and he slammed the ball down, yelling as he did

“HIT IT TILL IT BREAKS.”

He hadn’t noticed Aien enter as he had focused all his anger on the court. His chest was heaving heavily and his knees looked ready to buckle as his exhaustion started to take over.

Aien’s eyes had captured the moment he had jumped into the air, mentally, a sudden draft blowing her hair back and freezing the moment. In those few seconds, she felt the door to an unknown realm open up as she felt a strong feeling of awe pass through her.

It was only when Aien stood at the boundary of the court did Oikawa flinch, before collapsing to the ground, his legs finally giving out.

He wiped the sweat from his eyes with the towel that Aien, timidly handed him, something she had found on the edge of a chair.

Iwaizumi who had been in the broom room searching for something stopped in his tracks on seeing Aien beside Oikawa, he re-entered the room and closed it giving them their privacy. And pressing his back against the door. Their team morale had been low ever since the loss against Shiratorizawa especially for the third years because it was their second time losing against this monstrous enemy.

The two of them didn’t speak a word to each other, Oikawa was a little embarrassed with his outburst, that was a side of him that he tried to keep hidden and so he fixed his eyes on the floor in front of him. Meanwhile, Aien was bucking up the courage to speak to the boy in front of her.

“He that flies so will ne'er return again.” Aien’s light voice suddenly spoke out, as she felt the palpable tension in the room. Growing up, she had kept most of her references to herself because not many people admired English literature as she did.

Oikawa who had wiped the sweat from his brow, placed his hands behind his head, as he closed his eyes, amused, and spoke after a few seconds, “Talbot again?”, referring to their conversation about Talbot being a man who was worth admiring. He leaned back, the veins in his hand popping out, “Indeed, a witch by fear and force drives back our army…Indeed.” An image of Ushijima’s face flashed in his mind and he ground his teeth, in fury.

“Young Talbot did not run away t-though he was…facing a strong enemy.” Aien insisted, trying to explain the context of her statement, stressing on the virtue of Lord Talbot’s son who when told to run away at his father’s capture, refused to do so, to honor the royal name and to keep fighting, even though it would lead to his eventual demise.

Aien kneeled on the court, her skirt neatly pleated covering her thighs, as she spoke firmly, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach. Being a witness to the agony in his face as he yelled on the court, attacking each serve with more anger than the last, she felt she had to say what was in her heart, “Oikawa-san, You once told me that a person’s worth lies in his ability to win.”

He glanced up at her, with hooded eyes.

“I disagree. A person’s worth lies in his ability to persevere.” She fiddled with the bracelet on her arm but maintained eye contact though it took all her strength to keep her from running away.

Oikawa lay down on the court, his chest still heaving from the excessive exhaustion of his body, he covered his face with his hands.

“Did you come here out of pity, Aien?” He paused as he added bitterly, “Or because you saw a side of me that not a lot of people do?”

“Pity? Another side?” Aien stammered, “ You’ve seen me in a bad situation too, Oikawa-san.”

He didn’t say a word, those blank robotic hazel eyes haunted his mind at times.

“A-And, you were not scared..of me.” Her voice had lowered, her perception of Oikawa had changed after that cold night when he had revealed that he wasn’t a completely despicable character.

Oikawa maintained his silence, he had instinctively wanted to protect her, it was a feeling, a desire, an unknown entity which he could not classify and frankly, was too tired to.

Aien cleared her throat, “You have another chance don’t you?”

Oikawa turned to her, “You’re back to Aien.”

She flushed, her memories of her descent into darkness were hazy but she knew it had been Oikawa with her. A part of her felt grateful that he didn’t probe into what happened. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small bag, the real reason that she had come up to meet him.

Turning back to him, her hair falling back onto her face and hiding her expression, “I came here to thank you.” She held out the bag, which held his scarf as well as an impulsively written note for him, “And return this to you.”

“I’m glad…” He didn’t smile at her but his face said it all, “I’m glad to see you being you again.” His eyes slanted up at hers, softening a little at her warm face.

Aien felt the heat unbearable and stood up, backing away from him, Oikawa sat up too, and pulled the bag closer to him and pulled his scarf out, the note tumbling out.

Aien flushed, ready to rush out of the room in an instant if he read the note that she had penned down in a moment of braveness.

He picked it up but didn’t read it, his eyebrows furrowed as though he were thinking deeply,

“Aien.”

She stopped in her tracks but refused to turn back, to hide her red features.

“The spring tournament, Watch me play.”

Aien replied with a few unintelligible words, as she rushed out of the room, flustered and mentally screaming at herself for adding the note.

Oikawa watched her go before turning back to the note in his hand, his heart beating a little faster as he read the words on it.

“WaTcH Me PlAy”, A voice teasingly sounded from behind him.

“Iwa-chan! I was wondering where you disappeared to.” Oikawa lay back down on the ground and looked at his friend at an angle that inverted all the shorter boy’s features, “You look funny!”

Iwaizumi tapped his feet as he clicked in annoyance, “I called this the moment I met her.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Iwaa, she's just a friend.” Oikawa laughed his chest rumbling.

“Sure, How you feeling now?" He interjected.

“Ready to fight….but first, can I just close my eyes. it feels like I haven’t slept in ages..” As his voice trailed off, his eyes gently closed.

Iwaizumi looked ready to yell at him but stopped on seeing his friend, drift off into a deep sleep in the center of the volleyball court. He leaned down, tutting to himself as he removed his Volleyball jacket to cover the sleeping boy before gathering the small bag and the note that he had clutched in his hand.

Iwaizumi glanced at the note as he set the bag on the bench and smirked to himself as he saw the small doodle of two figures standing beside each other, smiling along with the neatly penned down kanji that translated to:

_"Oikawa-san, If I may, I ask that you allow me to stay by your side just as you did, by mine_

_Because_

**Oikawa-san is someone I look up to. "**

~A few days later- Just another Saturday at The Initiative **PT1** ~ 

Maya was having her routinely breakdown at the initiative after their magazine sales had plunged to a new low over the last two weeks because of a raising opponent- _The Monthly Volleyball Magazine._ Now, TMV had started off as a magazine that reviewed all the sports played in the prefecture, and over the years with the rise in popularity of Volleyball, they had spent loads of money to change their brand name to TMV and had easily become a favorite amongst the folks of The Miyagi Prefecture especially during the volleyball seasons.

Maya had witnessed the drop in sales all week and had been an absolute wreck, dedicating herself to finding a weakness in their rival. This was also why the entire office of The Initiative had articles of TMV printed out and plastered on the walls, the boards as well as at their desks.

And after her week of research, she had come up with the only conclusion in a very hysteric and sleep-deprived state- that they were doomed.

Sora had subtly shoved Eric out of the place, knowing he’d just be the target of her anger, and had messaged him to get anything loaded with sugar to calm their stand-in leader. Eric had been grateful that he wasn’t a witness of this, and had set off to buy everything sweet he could find in the vicinity.

“PEOPLE ARE BORED OF OUR MAGAZINE!!!!! CUZ EVERYTHING YOU WANT YOU CAN JUST READ OFF THE INTERNET OR APPARENTLY THE MONTHLY VOLLEYBALL MAGAZINE.” She laughed, hysterically.

“HAHAHAH AIEN WHY ARENT YOU LAUGHING WITH ME?” She had tears in her eyes as she banged the desk, her laughter has no signs of ceasing.

Aien turned nervously to Sora who avoided eye contact and went back to his work, pretending to be deep in thought.

“WHERE’S ERIC? I BET HE LEFT US. I BET HE JOINED TMV, THAT CONNIVING PIECE OF_

“Oya? Look at the time, Y’all can leave early today.” Connen’s voice cut through Maya’s hysterics. He had a knack for showing up at the moments Maya switched to expletives. His spiky black hair had been neatly tied back into a small poky ponytail, and His hands were tucked, casually into his jeans. The black shirt he wore was so faded it almost looked grey. A heavy bag was slung onto his shoulder. The Keiji brothers looked similar in most aspects, their common feature being their long eyelashes and gorgeous aqua eyes, yet Connen was outgoing and boisterous while his brother was just the opposite.

She glared at him, “Look who decided to show up.” Her voice had gotten a little quieter as she gawked at his audacity to show up so late.

He laughed, “It’s just a small misprint. No one would have seen it.”

The other reason why Maya was furious is that somehow they had gotten a set of dates wrong in an interview at one of the best-run bakeries in Miyagi and the owner had called them up, livid at the misprint.

She stood up, her eyes glowering. “MAYBE IF EVERYONE HAD A LEADER THEY WOULD BE MORE FOCUSED ON THEIR WORK.”

She whipped around, tired of looking into those blue eyes, “AIEN, WHERE IS ERIC DAMMIT.”

Aien jumped out of her skin, her face paling “Uh um Uh... He uh”

“NUMB SKULLS THAT WHO I WORK WITH. I-I “

Connen started to lead the screaming lady away, and out of the room, calling out behind him as he ducked her heavy punches, “KEJII SHOULD BE HERE ANY MINUTE. ASK HIM TO TAKE OVER FOR A BIT.”. His voice faded as he moved away from the office, They could hear thuds which implied the latter had probably landed a few punches.

Aien finally let out the breath she’d been holding in, running her hands through the knots in her hair. Sora stretched hIs legs onto the table and began humming a tune, obviously relieved at her exit. He had a very young face but Aien had heard from Maya that he was in his 30’s.

“HEY HEY HEY! AGAAASHI THIS TOWN IS SO SMALL.”

The few members at the Initiativefroze, who was the new loud entity?

Akaashi’s soft voice could be heard explaining something softly and the loud voice broke out into laughter, “OKAY I WON'T YELL.” His voice hadn't lowered in any way.

Akaashi entered The Initiative room quietly, removing his shoes. And following behind him was a tall boy with the wildest hair AIen had ever seen - spiky white-grey hair with black streaks that resembled an Owl's tuft. He had a maniacal grin on his face and gave off a feral animal vibe. Adorned in loose joggers and a tight-fitting blue hooded jacket, he hummed as he stepped in the room. Aien noticed the two of them were wearing matching hoodies, though Akaashi's was a lot looser and smaller. 

Sora sighed, before returning to his work. He had a vague idea of who this person was.

Akaashi pulled the boy along with him, ignoring the looks the few members were giving him, leading him to his desk,

“Bokuto-san, Please sit here.”

_Oh, so that’s the guy..._

Akaashi pulled a chair near the corner of the room, where his table was, and the boy seated there was grinning widely at him, he had barely noticed the room he’d entered as his eyes were only on the boy in front of him. He seemed wildly excited like a child with a new toy.

Akaashi then turned and greeted everyone in the room, his head slightly bowed. He smiled at Aien, they’d kept in contact through emails as Akaashi had been busy with his school work and Volleyball and had not been frequent at work. The two of them were more familiar with each other now, going as far as to even add each other on Pinstance.

Aien felt the hair on her arms raise, despite the kind smile Akaashi had given her, and turned slowly, her torso trembling, and sure enough, a pair of golden-yellow eyes were watching her intently, not breaking the lock they had on her.

“Who is she ,Akaashi?”. The loud voice spoke up, rougher than it was before.

“Bokuto-san, you know who Aien is. I’ve told you about her.”

“You didn’t mention that she's a cute girl.”

Aien flushed because it sounded more like an angry statement than a compliment and turned to her computer, her heart thumping.

“I didn’t notice that, Bokuto-san.” 

Loud gasps and sighs broke the small tension that had filled the room as Eric collapsed near the entrance, almost dropping the box of doughnuts in his arms-"Where …?”

Sora, “You’re a little too late Eric. Leave em on the table. She can have them when she's back.”

Those yellow hawk-like eyes would not stop staring at Aien, watching her every move keenly. Although he was a few meters away from her, the goosebumps on her arms had only worsened, and she felt an overwhelming urge to hide under her work desk.

“Bokuto-san.”

At the mention of his name, he turned slowly to his friend who had taken a seat beside him and was in the process of turning on the computer in front of him.

“Yes?”

“Don’t stare at her.” 

“HUH AKAASHI I AM NOT_

“Oh so we’ve switched business to babysitting cuz we're a fail magazine?” an angry voice sounded from the entrance of the room.

Maya stood, her cheeks slightly pink from all the possible yelling at Connen who was nowhere to be seen again.

“Maya-san, I informed you yesterday_”

“Take your boyfriend someplace else Keiji, you’re exactly like your disgusting brother.” Her eyes, red with the anger coursing through her veins, she pointed at the innocent Bokuto sitting on his chair,an obedient look on his face."No one wants him here.”

She marched into the room, her temper had not calmed in any way. On spotting the doughnuts on her table, she grabbed them, and sat at her table, and began to chomp on them while cursing people under her breath.

Bokuto’s eyes had widened on seeing Akaashi being told off, he opened his mouth indignantly to defend the latter who gave him a look that silenced him.

Aien didn’t know what came over her, but she felt the need to defend Akaashi who had always been kind to her, “ Um Maya-san? I’m okay with having Bokuto-san here.”

As the murderous eyes turned in her direction, Aien immediately regretted her words almost sinking into a puddle of mush.

“Um..I don’t mind too.” Eric timidly raised his hand.

Mutters of agreement filled the small office. A usually expressionless Akaashi, had a warm glow around his face. 

“Fine. Anyway, it's not like we want this magazine company to be normal in any way- god forbid.” Maya consented, concentrating on the texture of the doughnuts. A part of her was annoyed the doughnut tasted so perfect that she couldn't find a single fault with it.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around Aien from the back, embracing her, and a loud voice yelled into her ears “YOU’RE A NICE PERSON AAAHIENN.”

Aien felt her blood pressure rise at the sudden embrace and the fact that this overly friendly boy just hugged her- a stranger? A stranger that he had just spent the last few minutes sending death glares to.

“H-H-HUH??” 

Akaashi grabbed Bokuto by the hood of his jacket, a little aghast, an expression that he hadn’t adorned at being told off, “Bokuto-san, you must not assault the employees here.”

Bokuto moved his chair closer to Aien’s desk, and pulled out a math textbook, adjusting his tussled clothes, “I’ll also work while Akaashi works.” He smiled widely, his smile creases highlighted.

Aien turned her attention to the TMV article that Maya had flung at her when she had entered the room, she was supposed to go through it and write up a review on each article. Mindlessly, she flipped through the pages, ignoring Bokuto’s happy humming and tapping of fingers.

Akaashi pulled up another copy of TMV and began to read it, writing down a few notes before going back to it.

After a while of silence at The Initiative, Aien had been done with the first 10 pages and turned to the boys beside her. Bokuto had his muscular arms on the desk and was gazing intently at Akaashi who was busy reading an article, his loose blue hoodie unbuttoned and completely unaware of the intent gaze on his person. He was truly the picture of sophisticated grace- his features uncannily delicate.

Aien felt the color rise in her cheeks, she felt she was interrupting something even though she wasn’t. Bokuto had noticed her shift in attention and turned to her, lowering his voice, yet for Bokuto lowering his voice was no different than a normal person's voice, “Have you noticed?”

"Huh?"

“The eyebrow twitch.” He said impatiently, as though it were obvious.

“When Akaashi is engrossed in something, his eyebrow does a funny twitch.”

Aien turned her attention to Akaashi who was in a world of his own, his face, stern.

“Uh…”

“I want to see it.” Bokuto smiled, displaying his canines as he grinned at her. And then was distracted as he noticed the page she was on," Oh???? WHO IS THAT? USHIJIMA.”

“I KNOW HIM.” His loud voice had disturbed the silence that fell in the room, and in reply,a few growls were heard from Maya’s desk.

Akaashi looked up, “Yes. He’s in this prefecture.”

Boktuo gritted his teeth, “I don’t like him. NEH AKAASHI. IM BETTER NO?”

“Yes Bokuto-san.”

He glared at the article, “It’s because of this boy that My Akaashi’s magazine is not doing well?”

Aien almost fell off her chair at the causal way he referred to Akaashi as his...She quickly turned to observe Akaashi’s reaction, but he was as placid as usual, “It’s a lot of other things too.”

Bokuto rotated his chair towards Akaashi, “If I knew this was affecting your magazine, I’d have not forced you to toss for me every weekend.”

He looked apologetic, his yellow eyes, forming a puddle of honey that one just wanted to melt into.

Akaashi gave him his small rare smile, “I like tossing for you, Bokuto-san.”

“Aien, If you want to change desks, you can do it anytime,” Maya called out nonchalantly, noticing the girls' shock.

Aien frantically shook her hands in front of her wanting to interrupt the two oblivious boys in front of her.

Bokuto still looked rather low, but at Akaashi’s smile, his ears perked up eagerly, “I want you to toss to me for eternity.”

The atmosphere in the room had just changed, Eric felt his face heat up too and picked up the paper fan and began to fan at himself.

Sora who had been reading an older magazine of TMV had been watching the two boys, with a knowing look on his face.

Akaashi feeling everyone’s eyes on them, turned in their direction, causing the gazing eyes to awkwardly focus on their articles.

“Bokuto-san. You need to study for your math exam.” He changed the topic, turning to his magazine. The tips of his ears had turned a mild pink, yet his face remained expressionless, almost borderline bored.

Bokuto who was oblivious of the effects his words had, slumped back onto his desk, “You’re being mean to me Akaashi, I don’t even like math.”

“Yes. But if you fail_”

“AKAAASHI YOU PROMISED YOU WON'T TELL.” He sat up, slamming his hand onto AKaashi’s face.

“THAT’S IT.” Maya slammed her palms onto her desk. “I want all three of you out.”

“Three?” AIen’s eyes widened.

“JUST GO BEFORE I THROW MY COMPUTER AT YOUR FACES.” 

Akaashi grabbed his magazine and his jacket, grabbing Bokuto along with him, and waited for Aien who gathered her stuff up in her arms and followed the two of them.

“Why is she so angry Akaashi?” Bokuto said, sitting down on the steps that lead to The Initiative. Akaashi settled himself onto the step above Boktuo and arranged his notes beside him, “She’s just worried about the magazine.”

“Aien sit beside me!!” Bokuto called out to the girl who was awkwardly standing on the steps, trying desperately to keep her stationery from slipping out of her arms.

“I'm sorry Aien, You're just guilty by association,” Akaashi said in his calm voice.

“Iye Iye, That’s okay. That’s fine.” She always got flustered when anyone apologized to her.

She sat gingerly beside Bokuto, who had given up on his math and was reading through the magazine with her, and they were soon at the Aoba Josai page. Aien froze on seeing her school’s turquoise colors across the smooth paper, Oikawa smiled through the pages, his handsome face, a picture of perfection. embarrassment filed her as she recalled what she had written on the note. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. But after a week of no interaction with him, she now felt stupid for her blunt words. 

_Why would he want me by his side?_

Bokuto frowned, “Who’s this?”

Aien turned to him, surprised, “That’s Oikawa-san. He’s from my school.” She turned back to the pages, her smile hidden by the brown hair that had fallen onto her face, “He’s known for his setting skills here.”

“OH HES COMPETITION FOR MY AKAASHI?”

“Bokuto-san please don’t shout.”

“Yes Yes but Akaashi we need to meet this person. He has this…aura..” He clenched his fists, an evil grin lighting up his wild features.

AKaashi peered into their magazine, “Aien you know him?”

“S-Sort of..” She fiddled with her fingers, Did she really know Oikawa? Not really.

Aien read through the article, studiously ignoring her thumping heart and Bokuto’s constant peering and commenting on every line in the magazine. He got bored soon enough and began jogging up and down the stairs. Aien noted down the style of the interview: Nothing personal, nothing about the difficulties the students had faced in life to get to where they were. Oikawa’s face floated in her mind, his sadness and anger at his loss.

“Akaashi!!”

“Yes Bokuto-san”

Bokuto smiled, standing at the edge of the steps, tapping his feet without any rhythm really, “ You look happy.”

The puzzled expression on Aien’s face worsened as she turned to a forever impassive Akaashi who just nodded in response.

“Yes Bokuto-san, you finally got to see where I work.” He replied in a calm voice, without a trace of emotion.

“Of course, I had to force you so much though.” He pouted, annoyed. “Friends share their lives with each other.”

If it hadn’t been for the amount of paper and stationery that were precariously placed on Aien’s lap, she’d have slammed her hand across her face in confusion.

_Friends?_

_FRIENDS?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever I'd watch Haikyuu, I always pictured how broken Oikawa was after his loss to SHZ during S1 end... and he's the type who keeps his real feelings to himself.  
> Also, TMV is actually there in S2E1 referenced by KSH team.  
> And, yes There's gonna be a part 2 because I love BokutoAkaashi Interactions way too much.  
> Thank you to everyone who's supporting me by reading what I write, ly all <3


	15. Illicit Interests and Interviews

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cont of the Bokuto-Akaashi scene at The Initiative as well as an opening into the next arc of Aien xx Oikawa's lives.

“Well-Brain storm, You bunch of absolute morons.” Maya sniped, contemptuously tapping the enormous blackboard in front of her which was currently blank from their lack of productive ideas. A volley of cluttered boards surrounded this central blackboard, mostly articles of TMV pinned haphazardly.

“Maya-san how abou_"

“Not you, Anyone else?”, She called over Eric’s desperate attempt to redeem himself in her eyes.

This was an emergency team-meet to get everyone's inputs to bring 'The Initiative' back from the pits it had sunken into. Connen who had been given death threats if he weren’t present for this team discussion, was fiddling with a cube in his hands, humming softly to himself. It was the last meet before they closed for the week, and it was of utmost importance that they came up with a game plan for their next magazine release.

Aien rocked her feet lightly as she racked her brains to come up with an idea for 'The Initiative' to pull up its sales, but no such thought came to her mind. She glanced at the TMV magazine clutched in her hands, she was still on the warm tones of the Aoba Johsai section of the magazine. A small idea began to stir at the back of her mind,

_What do people like to see?_

A snapshot of a tall boy with brown hair jumping into the air, as he slammed a ball down onto the floor stood out from the Magazine. Aien clutched her head in her hands cursing softly, _IS THIS WHAT I WANT TO SEE?_

Bokuto glanced at her, before leaning closer to her and lowering his voice, concerned, “What is it that you want to see?”

His whisper was loud enough for all the members who were sitting together to turn in their direction, Maya snapped, “Keiji, this is top secret stuff, Why are we entertaining this person?”. Maya had forgotten about Bokuto's presence because the latter had been well behaved ever since the three of them had been kicked out of The Office for a while.

Akaashi gave Bokuto a look, reminding him silently of the condition with which he had brought him to The Miyagi Prefecture, “ Bokuto-san won’t tell a soul of what we talk about here.”

Maya laughed, “How are you sure he won’t try to hurt you when things go sour between the two of you?”

A loud gasp escaped from Bokuto’s mouth as his golden-brown eyes flared up, “S-SOUR-"

“Things will never go that way between Bokuto-san and me.” Akaashi interrupted calmly, placing his hand at the back of Bokuto’s chair more as a warning than a calming gesture.

Bokuto took a deep breath before nodding quietly, it took all his willpower to not add more to what Akaashi had just said.

Connen glanced up, placing the unfinished cube on his thigh as he took a swig from a steel flask beside him and finally joining in the conversations, “Bokuto would die first before hurting Shi-kun.”

“Yes, I would.” Bokuto slammed his hand against his chest as if taking an oath. His eyes were a sea of golden flames, the passion in them a proof of his undying loyalty to the quieter boy beside him.

Connen smiled turning to his younger brother who was staring blankly at him, “Anyway, to keep up the professionalism of this place, I expect this to be the last time?”

Akaashi nodded, “I-

“I’m the one who insisted on coming.” Bokuto interrupted them. “We have important matches starting tomorrow and I-

“It's okay Bokuto-san.” Akaashi cut him off, frowning as he recalled how the exchange had gone between the two. Bokuto had hated being separated from Akaashi over the weekends when he traveled to the Sendai region, and even more so as they had training matches scheduled with top schools every weekend. He had refused to allow Akaashi to leave for his work going as far as to sit with his legs half folded, blocking the door that led to the exit. But, Akaashi wanted to close things up as fast as he could before his absentia due to the approaching Nationals.

He turned to the spiky-haired boy beside him, who beamed at him, a smile that not many could ignore.

Akaashi returned the smile, the edges of his lips curving upwards slightly. It was only after he had suggested bring Bokuto along that the boy had given in happily and in retrospect, he was happy he could share his life with his best friend.

The rest of the room could once again sense, that they were witnessing two people in their own world, oblivious to the norms of the rest of the mundane society. Maya sighed, knowing they were lost causes before going back to storyboarding everyone's ideas. She removed a few articles of TMV that she had pinned on the board nearest to her and set them on the desk. 

"The BlackBoard has been empty for the last 15 minutes of our discussion." She spoke, her voice dangerously low.

Aien went back to her thoughts, grateful for the distraction that had taken her mind off Oikawa and in a hurry to bring up an idea that would help move the discussion along. A few people began volunteering ideas, but everything was rejected as soon as the ideas were spoken, by a very livid Maya.

_What do people want to remember?_

The brown-haired boy fell back to the floor, from his graceful pose, his face contorted with determination. 

Aien dropped the notepad from her hands, startling everyone around her. Her face was bright red, Where were these thoughts coming from.

“Oikawa-san”, She muttered, unconsciously.

“Speak up Aien, you don’t have to scare us to get our attention.”

Her cheeks on fire, her palms balled into fists, she passionately spoke, her eyes sparkling, “Oikawa-san!"

Blank faces blinked up at her.

Aien felt the blood warm up her face as she almost bit her tongue at the word that she had blurted out. In a desperate attempt to cover up her faux-pass as well as to bring some semblance to her thoughts, she began again, "Their stories…Every single one of them…The volleyball team members….”.

Silence fell upon the room, not matching the intensity of the girl's fire. Aien felt the inspiration burn out immediately. She had spoken without her usual filters, and immediately began to regret speaking, “Um ..uh ..probably not_ ", Her voice trailed off.

Bokuto was muttering to himself, "Oikawa...The setter with the evil aura...."

“Aien that’s a great idea.” Akaashi nodded to himself, deep in thought. “We can interview members of Team, bring them to talk about their journey as players, compile_

“You bunch of fools,” Maya sneered, holding her temples.

“Akaash is not a fool,” Bokuto spoke up defensively, moving closer to his friend.

“HOW IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT TMV DOES? WE ARE NOT COPYCATS.” She finally yelled, triggered by Bokuto’s movement.

Eric in a timid voice added, raising his palm into the air, “TMV um does only the prefectures top players interviews….”

“YES ERIC, WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOSERS?”

Eric cowered at the yell, hiding behind the notepad in his hand.

Aien felt her passion rise as she remembered her brother's devastated face when he had explained his loss, “They have stories too. Stories that people want to hear.”

"A character sketch...of our very own boys and girls in Miyagi. "Sora nodded, "This works for me."

“We can move the interviews to out of the Miyagi prefecture too,” Akaashi added, glancing at the boy next to him who was currently distracted by the handmade keychains hanging from Aien’s Bag and was fiddling with them, exclaiming at the various colors on each ribbon that was intertwined in the keychain. Misaki loved experimenting with ribbons, cords, strings, beads, pearls- you name it, and would whip up cutesy bag keychains, hairbands, etc for her friends back in Nagoya. The keychain Bokuto was enamored by was a myriad of different types of colorful ribbons and lace, tied together by a string with a few studded hearts glued on a few of the ribbons and lopped onto a key holder.

Maya leaned back, still holding her temples, “Individual player’s stories huh?”

Aien smiled, excited that her idea inspired by both her brother and Oikawa-san’s passion was of some help and was low-key thrilled no one had caught her slip-up.

“But we are a small-time magazine, How will any of the fancy schools even agree to let us interview them?” Eric asked, nervously looking at Maya who was jotting down thoughts.

Maya smiled evilly, "We find students in those schools and make them take those interviews....as friends."

Connen rolled his eyes, "We can just pay the school and get an official interview."

"With who's budget, Keiji?" She countered.

Akaashi glanced at Bokuto again, who had moved from his chair and was now squatting on the floor and separating each ribbon out, giggling when he saw a pattern of hearts on one of the ribbons.

“Bokuto-san has been rated the number fourth-best Ace in Japan…I can get an interview from him.”

Aien turned in surprise at the boy who was giggling as he played with the keychain on her bag and he suddenly tugged at Akaashi’s sleeve, “NEH Akaashi, Can you gift me something like this?”

Maya snorted her coffee leading to loud coughs, before she spoke up, “Fine. Unofficial Fieldwork for the next month. Each of you will be assigned 'friends' you think will allow you to interview them as well as stories worth hearing about.” She wiped a few spots of coffee from her shirt before continuing, " Connen do you have something to add on, or were you listening at all?"

He grinned up at her, the cube was nowhere near finished, "I'll go with what you say."

"THAT IS EXACTLY WHY YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE A LEADER." She whipped around to face him.

Connen's laughter rumbled through the room, " Can you imagine me giving you orders?"

Maya glared at him as she knew he was right before viciously jotting down names loudly onto the blackboard, assigning each person a task to complete.

Aien had now zoned out of the conversation. The idea for bringing out the player's individual dust to glory stories highlighting their tenacity and perseverance for their next month's issue was well accepted. She wondered if things would get busier for her because the number of articles pouring in for her to edit would be enormous and with Akaashi being unavailable to help out...

“Which school does Aien go to?”, Eric asked.

Akaashi replied for her, “Aoba Johsai. “

Bokuto smiled up at Akaashi, "HOW DO YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?”

“Koutarou. If you raise your voice once again I will neut_

“HAHAH” Connen’s voice drowned the rest of Maya’s curses. He gave her a look, “They’re minors.”

“Aoba Johsai? That’s the super setter Oikawa’s school right?” Maya yelled, standing up in delight. She danced a small jig, as she envisioned getting an interview with the elusive setter boy who was well-known in the prefecture, “SUCKS TO BE YOU TMV, WE GONNA UP OUR GAME TOO.”

“He’s a little too young for you Maya,” Connen added.

She ignored him, as she punched her fists up, “Too bad all the older men are ugly." She gave him a pointed look to which he shrugged going back to the cube.

Aien smiled innocently, zoning back into the conversation.

Akaashi had pulled Bokuto back up onto his chair, explaining to him that they'd be doing a feature on him. The latter was so red in the face from the excitement at being interviewed by Akaashi and was barely able to contain the yells that he was suppressing.

“Aien, I know you’re just part-timing...but this should not be too hard for you." Maya started.

“huh?”

“I'll need a few unofficial interviews from players at your school."

Aien paled, "I-Interviews?"

"Well, consider this practice for when you become a writer one day."

"B-But "

"Aien, You'll be handling the interviews at Aoba Johsai. Go befriend those attra-I mean talented boys and convince them to give you an interview. And If you need any help, get the boys here, I'll interview them.” She ended innocently.

"That's definitely not happening," Connen interjected. "UNDERAGE."

Maya rolled her eyes, " You're overthinking this." She smiled at Aien, "This must be exciting for you. Take Eric's help with the articles. You guys can be a team."

Aien stayed frozen to her seat. Eric nodded, eagerly. He was grateful that he was paired with her, she was easy to work with.

I-I HAVE TO INTERVIEW OIKAWA-SAN?

~An hour later~

As the three of them walked towards the Miyagi train station, Bokuto pointed at every stall they passed, delighted at the small town’s smells and noises. Bokuto had grown up in the city his entire life and was used to the noisy vehicles and pollution filled roads. He had wanted to spend more time in the town, but Akaashi had to constantly remind him that they had scheduled training matches with Nekoma every Sunday.

Akaashi glanced at Aien, who seemed deep in thought, and was more fidgety than usual, dropping her bag every few minutes.

“I’m sorry that I won't be there to help you guys for a while.” He conjectured.

“Iie Iie. I’m …..” Her voice trailed off, how could she tell them it was not the interview that scared her but the person…especially since they hadn't spoken since that god forsaken letter of hers.

Bokuto patted her head, though he tried to be gentle, his hands were heavy, and Aien could feel the weight slam into the back of her head, sending her into a daze.

Akaashi grabbed Bokuto’s hand, “Bokuto-san. Hands to ourselves.”

“HUH I’M TRYING TO COMFORT HER AKAAASHI.”

“That’s harassment.”

Bokuto jabbed a finger into Akaashi’s chest, “I do the same to you.” He frowned as a thought suddenly entered his mind, and spoke quietly, “Am I harassing you Akaashi?”

Akaashi’s reply was quick, “No Bokuto-san. It’s different for us.”

“Different?”

Aien’s ears had turned red, “Umm…”

“BECAUSE WE ARE THE BEST OF FRIENDS RIGHT?” He finally concluded, slamming his hand onto Akaashi’s back.

Akaashi nodded, wordlessly. His face was as impassive as always.

At the station platform, Bokuto struggled with adjusting the muffler around his neck, mumbling to himself as he entangled the muffler around his neck, a tad bit too tight, and began to choke a little. Akaashi after watching the struggle for a few moments, finally stepped in after Boluto began to turn a light purple from his air supply being cut off. With nimble fingers, he deftly undid the mess of knots Bokuto had managed to make, and re-adjusted it around his neck, patting the ends of the muffler when he was finally done. Bokuto fluffed Akaashi’s hair, his eyes sparling, “Your hair is so soft Akaashi.”’

Akaashi moved a step backward, “Yes Bokuto san.”

“It's those shampoos Kuroo was talking about no?”

“Yes.”

Aien smiled at the two, subtle wishing that she was in charge of interviewing them. “Who’s Kuro?”

“AHIEN! YOU HAVE TO COME TO TOKYO SOMETIME OKAY?” Bokuto grinned, “I will show you all around Tokyo and I'll introduce you to Kuroo too.”

“It’s a huge city, you cant…” Akaashi sighed. “But, yes we will show you around.”

“Thank you for your hard work Akaashi-san_”

“Aren't we the same age? Just call me Akaashi..”

“Umm yes..ok”

“About the article with the setter Tooru Oikawa…Did something happen between you two?” Akaashi had not missed Aien's outburst and her panicked expression at every mention of the interview. It had led Eric to have an anxious breakdown as he thought Aien didn't want to work with him.

“HUH?” Aien backed away, her face beet red. And she shook her head profusely, “NO NO nothing nothing. He's my senpai.”

“You looked embarrassed when they said his name so I assumed.”

“He’s just...weird with me…”. She admitted softly.

"If you already know him, getting an interview won't be too hard." He suggested, tucking his hands into his pockets.

Aien stared at her feet, "I don't know if he would let me...Things are weird between us now... I don't know what's wrong with me..". She placed her hand on her chest as she spoke, "I MEAN, THIS IS MY JOB RIGHT? I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS RIGHT?"

“Maybe it’s a small crush,” Akaashi added nonchalantly, not phased by the change in Aien's tone.

“C-CRUSH?”

“Yes. When you like someone a little more than a friend.”

“L-Like?” Aien could feel the steam leaving her ears, like a choo choo train.

Bokuto watched the two of them unsure of what they were talking about, and feeling a bit left out, the ends of his spiky hair seemed to droop down.

He pouted, moving closer to Akaashi who noticed immediately, the warning signs for an emo Bokuto.

“Bokuto-san, We should get going.”

Akaashi bowed lightly at Aien, “We will continue exchanging articles through mail and call me if you're stuck with anything.”

“It was nice to meet you um Bokuto-san.” Aien bowed at the two of them.

Bokuto waved at her, slightly disconnected.

Akaashi grabbed his friend's arm, pulling him towards the train that lead to Tokyo, "Dinner is on me tonight."

"REALLY?" The tips of Bokuto's hair jumped back up to its usual height, as he beamed at the boy beside him, their shoulders knocking against each others as they walked together.

Akaashi breathed a sigh of relief, he had managed to keep emo Bokuto in check.

* * *

~A few days later~

Aien rolled around in her bed, the last few days had got her worrying about what she’d like to take up after school was done. She enjoyed writing and journaling, her mind was always filled with stories and realms and worlds that she had created for herself but would she be able to support herself financially if she didn’t do too well in it…She was aware that she would have to singlehandedly finance herself once she left The Kageyama’s place. And all this pondering had begun ever since the unfortunate assigning of the interview.

Interview Oikawa-san and the rest of the volleyball team? To write a meaningful article that would go with their project's tagline, ‘ **Unboxing Minds**.’

H _ow can I unbox anyone’s mind…_

She closed her eyes, desperately trying to fall asleep. She had put off getting the interview with Oikawa, but she knew she would have to eventually get to it before the weekend drew near and Maya attacked her.

“ _Do I like him?”_ ….

_No...Of course not_

Akaashi’s observant words had been taken deeply. Aien hadn’t processed her feelings to a point where she could classify what she felt for Oikawa and now that Akaashi had said...

_I DON’T EVEN KNOW HIM._

Aien tossed around her bed for a while, her face heating up on remembering their earlier encounters.

_But I know how he smells_

She slammed her head into her pillow, muffling her yells. After struggling to fall asleep for a while, she got up to grab a glass of water.

“Tobio?”

He turned back from the TV in surprise, he had been struggling to fall asleep and was watching a recording of one of the national team’s matches.

“You didn’t sleep?”

She walked over to the couch after grabbing a glass of water, he moved to make space for her.

She plonked herself down, sighing. “My mind won't shut up.”

He had turned back to his game, his mind focused.

Aien watched along with him for a while, and then suddenly asked “H-How do-do you know if uh um.. um..you like someone?”

“When you don’t dislike them”, His answer was fast, despite his mind being on the match.

Aien frowned to herself, he hadn’t put much thought into her question but she had to admit that it did make sense.

_Do I dislike Oikawa senpai?_

She felt her cheeks flush once again, “h-have HAVE YOU EVER LIKED ANYONE?”, As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized her voice had been slightly raised.

Tobio turned to her, not puzzled in the least. “Like?”

She nodded, eagerly. “Yes like..”

“I don’t know”

Aien prodded, “Oh come on. You must have liked a girl.”

Tobio remained silent for a few seconds, mildly distracted from their conversation by the only sounds that came from the tv commentator who was passionately complimenting the feint by the team's setter, at their most crucial moment.

“Oh Yeah, I like you.”

Aien’s eyes widened and she almost dropped the glass she was holding, “B-B-B…But..”

She felt the blood in her body freeze up, How was he saying this so causally

He leaned forward, muttering to himself how he needed to learn diversion tactics in the game.

“TOBIO-KUN! YOU CAN'T!! YOU CANT LIKE ME!!” She finally exclaimed in a loud and horrified voice.

He turned to her, impassively, “Why not?”

Aien was flabbergasted “I'm related to you?”

“What are you talking about, Aien..”

“Tobio-kun”

“Hmm?”

She faced forward as she said the next few sentences. “I mean a romantic kind of like. Feelings. Heart beating faster. Love. That ...that kind uh..”

Tobio’s face flushed immediately, and he began to stammer, awkwardly.

Aien sighed in relief and after the awkward silence had been replaced with an interview by one of the teams who were in the semi-finals.

“So..um have you?”

He took a while before he answered in a dull tone, “No.”

Aien sighed...

“You?”

She was surprised he had asked her, she blushed immediately remembering Oikawa’s wink, his brown eyes that could turn cold in a matter of seconds.

Aien slammed the couch pillow across her face, startling Tobio who moved a little away from her.

“No of course not!”

* * *

~That week at Aoba Johsai~

Oikawa whistled to himself as he threw off his sweat-soaked volleyball tee onto the bench beside him, and rummaged through his locker for a clean shirt he could use. He had no desire to don the Aoba Johsai unform as he had someplace to be, a place where he would preferably not want to be caught in his school clothes.

After a few seconds of rummaging, he didn’t find anything that he was satisfied with and turned to Iwaizumi’s locker on the side and after looking around to make sure no one was watching, he yanked the locker open, and sure enough, Iwaizumi had arranged his locker with a few personal collectibles as well as a pile of shirts that were neatly stacked on top of each other.

Oikawa grabbed a dark blue shirt and was about to put it on when he heard a voice that sent chills down his spine. 

“What. Do.You.Think.You. are. doing” The voice spoke in short breaks with the fury in each word, increasing intensity.

Oikawa shut the door, backing away with the shirt in his hand, Hanamakki and a few of the third years entered behind a fuming Iwaizumi, not paying attention to their half-naked Captain.

“Iwa-chan... You scared me.” Oikawa jested, daring to pull the shirt over his head. And, adjusting his messy hair, with a comb from his pocket.

He looked at himself in the ClubRoom’s mirror, sure enough, the dark blue shirt went well with his form. “Iwa-chan, your taste is not too_”

“Complete that sentence if you want to die.”

Makki yawned, grabbing his bottle of water and collapsing on their club bench. The rest of the third years had gathered around the bench and begun cribbing about the increase in their practice times and the horrendous schedules that were drafted by Oikawa and The Teams Coaches.

Oikawa ruffled his hair, “See you around Iwa_

“Take it off.” He blocked Oikawa’s path, a vein popping from his head.

“OYA? TAKE WHAT OFF?” He laughed out, crossing his arms around his chest.

“Or I will rip it off.”

Oikawa smirked, leaning against the wall, “Iwa-chan, if you're this forward with girls, then_”

Iwaizumi could not bear to listen to his friend go on and made to grab his shirt, but Oikawa was faster, and ducked, running in the opposite direction. It was complete pandemonium- Oikawa yelling as he ducked objects that were thrown in his direction, Iwaizumi cursing in several languages as he chased after his friend. This continued until Iwaizumi grabbed his footwear and managed to land a hit, stopping Oikawa in his tracks.

Iwauzmi grabbed the shirt, determined to pull it off by force when Oikawa stopped him.

“PLEASE I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO WEAR.”

“It's literally your nephew's volleyball game. NO one cares what you wear.” 

Oikawa scoffed, “Are you kidding me. They look up to me as their hero.” He gestured to his body, “I have to look the part too.”

The rest of the boys were now getting ready to return to the game. Hanamakki paused before leaving the room, “I’m surprised that you’d ditch practice for that.”

“It’s his first time in a team. I want to be there.” Oikawa smiled.

Iwaizumi sighed, giving up, “That’s a pure smile without any malice. Rare.”

“HIDOIII IWA-CHAN.”

Before leaving the room, Iwaizumi turned back to his friend, “I want that shirt back. Clean.”

Oikawa gave him a thumbs-up, checking his reflection in the mirror once again, before leaving the room.

_Another generation is entering the world of Volleyball, There is no way I'm gonna miss this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't explain how much I enjoy writing Bokuto-Akaashi scenes!! Anyway, we won't be seeing them for a while...Maybe? Hahaha 
> 
> CHRISTMAS IS SO NEAR AHHHHHH YAY


	16. The Hornet's Nest has been stirred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aien trying to pluck up enough courage to ask Oikawa for an interview- but misfortunate strikes again...

Aien sat in the canteen beside Kindaichi who was eagerly scanning through the magazines that she had salvaged from the initiative. Akaashi had advised her to research through Oikawa's previous interviews and identify repeated and inane questions so that when she planned her interview with him, it would go smoothly. When Kindaichi had heard about her new assignment, he had been excited to offer his input but was currently distracted with how Oikawa was so glamorously portrayed. Kunimi who looked exhausted was watching the scene with his eyes half shut.

The canteen was as congested and cramped as usual and Aien was hoping to bump into a certain someone so she could set up a date for the interview – the unofficial one. She had still not made contact with him ever since her stupid note…a note which she constantly wished she could burn. A part of her was upset at his lack of reply to the note. Maybe he hadn't seen it or maybe this meant that he didn’t want her help…that he didn’t need her. She shook her head and gathered her thoughts,

_I can do this. Right?_

She hadn't laid out the structure of her interview, neither had she planned out whether she wanted to include more of the team members but the writing spirit in her heart had her convinced that she'd be able to spin a tale worthy of attention regardless of the number of people in the interview. Eric had explained to her that if they had too many members of the Aoba Johsai team, they might get called up by the school board and reported for illegal fraternizing or the like.

“Wow. Oikawa-san has a whole page dedicated to him in a 2007 magazine too.” Kindaichi gushed, awestruck with how amazing his senpai was. Kindaichi had been completely on board to help Aien set up an interview with Oikawa and had even gone as far as to offer to interview Oikawa himself.

Kunimi shifted slightly and mumbled a few incoherent words before dozing off. Aien turned to the magazine in Kindaichi’s hand, “He was in your Junior School, Right?”

“Yep, He won the best setter award back then.” He added pointing at the picture of a young Oikawa who beamed up innocently at the camera. Below the picture was a few lines that he had said during the interview, at the mere age of 13, "I am grateful for this award, and I want to thank my team for allowing me to get this far." When asked what his dream was, the boy had said, "My dream is to surpass my biggest fears and raise above the line that separates the prodigies from the ordinary."

Kindaichi clapped his hands softly, "Wow. I'm 15 now and I still don't know what my dream is." 

Aien had a shy smile on her face as she thought to herself that Oikawa looked so much happier when he was younger, unlike the façade of smiles that he showered upon people in the present.

A few loud voices disturbed the happy bubble the trio had created around them as a bunch of girls passed their table.

Kairi, who was leading the group, smirked at Aien's small profile, before settling down at a table near them. One of the girls in Kairi's squad bumped into Aien’s side of the table, which made a few of the magazines and books on the table crash onto the ground with a loud thud.

“Oh sorry didn’t see you there." She replied nonchalantly.

Aien was silent as she began to pick up her books, Kindaichi glowered at the girl who had bumped into their table, muttering how that was a load of crap, and bent down to help her retrieve her books. The last few weeks had just been toxic in their school and most of the students either avoided Aien or would make snarky comments that would make Aien's ears turn red from the first-hand embarrassment, which was why Kindaichi had made it a point to involve the girl in his life whenever he could. Aien had been strong, not acknowledging the drama which was why she picked up her books, oblivious to the stares.

Kairi’s friend had noticed a few of the magazines that lay open on their table with Oikawa’s face smiling up at them from the smooth pages, and whispered to Kairi, who had an angry air about her as she finally spoke in a loud voice, “You know, We were trying to keep it low key but you’re really annoying me.”

A few tables had turned in their direction, as onlookers watched in curiosity. Kindaichi froze alongside Aien as he watched Kairi stand up, her black hair swishing furiously behind her,

Kairi slammed her hand down on their table, startling a sleeping Kunimi who nearly fell off the table. Kindaichi caught his friend, who looked up at him with bleary eyes. Aien on the other hand, held her breath, her heart beating frantically against the cage of her ribs.

Her black eyes, boring into Aien's hazel eyes, she announced in contempt, “I’m dating Oikawa-san.”

An eery silence greeted that announcement which was eventually broken by a coughing fit from Kunimi’s side who was slowly turning pink.

Aien felt a hundred needles stab her as the information settled in her mind, the words tumbling into her head and falling into the deep abysses of her mind.

Kindaichi finally spoke up, though the context of the whole situation was lost on him, “Oikawa-san doesn’t have the time to date... anyone.”

Kairi smirked, “Then explain this.” She moved the sleeves of her sweater upwards. Students all over, gathered closer, Kairi's mysterious friendship with Oikawa had been debated all over the school for the last two years and this was the big reveal they had all been waiting for.

On her smooth arm was a coral pink bracelet, and hanging from it was a silver locket in which lay nestled a miniature sized picture of two people. She shoved her arm into Aien's eyes, to give the girl a closer view and Aien's eyes widened as she saw the contents of the locket - Two individuals sitting rather close to each other. The boy had his arm around the girl's shoulder and the girl was grinning up at the camera, her black hair falling in cascades around her face. The boy wore a Christmas sweater and had his eyes closed as he stuck his tongue out at the camera. 

There was no mistaking the brown wavy hair and the mischievous smile. It was Oikawa-san.

Kindaichi and Kunimi moved Aien aside as they took turns to look at the locket, disbelief evident on their features.

Kairi tutted, moving her arm back, to her side, “This was supposed to be a secret. But now everyone knows.” She slammed her hands onto the table and pushed the magazines down once again.

Aien stared up at her, blankly. 

"And you can keep hiding behind the volleyball team for as long as you like, but facts aren't gonna change. Oikawa is mine."

"Aien is our friend," Kindaichi spoke up, bluntly.

Kairi leered at him, "I'm sure you would rather be our friend than hers." Her beautiful face looked prettier though her expression was of pure malice.

Kindaichi was momentarily blinded by her looks, after all this had been a senpai he had fangirled over plenty of times in the past.

Kairi scoffed, pleased with the reaction. and turned back to Aien, who was still trying to process the situation, her face a slate of pure innocence as always.

“Stay away from my man or this is not going to end well.” She warned, her temper had flared on seeing Aien's face. That sort of purity frustrated her.

A few of the girls in her squad began to cheer for their friend, they were all aware that Kairi had dibs on Oikawa, but most of them weren't aware that Kairi had actually succeeded in making him hers.

Kindaichi stood up, “You can't treat Aien_

Aien held her hand up to stop Kindaichi from saying any more, and spoke up in a trembling voice, not breaking the eye contact, though every cell in her body was screaming in agony, “I was not aware of this.”

“Well… And because of you, the whole school knows my secret too. Oikawa-san is not going to be happy.”

Aien flushed, as she bowed down apologetically. She couldn't bear to stand in this place, she had to leave. She grabbed the magazines and stuffed them into her bag, ignoring the cheers, laughs, and whispers. And when she had collected everything, she rushed out of the canteen, her eyes welling with tears.

Kunimi raised an eyebrow, before settling back down on his chair, "Well_

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Kindaichi grabbed Kunimi and rushed after her,

“Aien!!! Wait!”

Aien had tears in her eyes and stopped in her tracks, her bangs covering her face. The two boys caught up with her, and Kunimi freed himself from Kindaichi's hold.

Kunimi straightened his clothes and spoke lightly, “I knew Oikawa was a player but… who knew he was with someone..haha Plot Twist heh?”

Kindaichi glared at his friend, “Aien, You need this interview, right? Just ignore her. And so what if she's dating him. You're just interviewing him right?”

Kunimi scoffed at his friend's ignorance, crossing his arms over his chest, "Yeah, That's all that's going on there."

Kindaichi continued, "It doesn't matter what she says, Oikawa-san is a good person. He'll let you interview him."

Aien wiped the tears from her eyes, and moved the bangs from her face, “Y-Yes, You’re right. My responsibility isn’t going to change just because of this.” She ended in a soft voice.

But in Aien’s heart, all she could feel was disappointment, she had admired Oikawa-san and all this had only proven to her that she had been very wrong about him. She barely knew him..In fact, she knew nothing about him apart from the fact that he played volleyball. 

“And, honestly, I know Kairi and Oikawa san have had some kind of friendship, but I would suggest you don’t pay it any attention.”

Kunimi thought to himself, “Oh yeah…I remember her. Makki was talking about them but he never mentioned a relationship.”

Kindaichi laughed, "Exactly, Who knew Oikawa-san had such a secretive second life?"

Aien felt her heart sink, “I’m not surprised Oikawa-san has someone in his life already.”

Kunimi watched Aien with hooded eyes, "So what?"

She turned to him, her interactions with him were mostly limited since he usually ignored her, "H-Huh?"

Kunimi sighed, "Who cares if they're dating...Do what ... you got to do." 

Kindaichi grabbed Kunimi and pulled him closer, "EXACTLY. WOW KUNIMI. You've grown wiser."

Kunimi looked uncomfortable in Kindaichi's grasp, and a light pink color flooded his usually pale face, "You're just an idiot."

The two of them turned in Aien's direction," We've got your back."

Aien smiled at them, a weak smile. The corners of her eyes were red as she nodded, "T-Tha_

Kindaichi pulled the girl into their group, his arms lightly gripping her shoulder, "Friends don't thank each other."

Kunimi seemed annoyed at her proximity and turned his face away, but didn't comment on her inclusion. 

"Oh, this year is definitely an interesting one" He muttered to himself, a mix of emotions in his mind.

* * *

Back home, Aien collapsed by the living room, she hadn’t plucked up enough courage to meet Oikawa after that announcement that had taken the canteen by storm. A part of her wondered if she would ever be able to look him in the eye again, especially since her embarrassing note and the shocking reveal. Doubt filled her mind as she recalled Kairi’s words….Oikawa-san and I are dating.

She propped herself by her elbows, Was that the truth?

But the cute charm on her bracelet had looked intimate.

Her heart was heavy, why had she let herself fall this far. How could she have liked someone else's man...

_This hurts_

Aien clenched her fists slamming them against the floor as she recalled his smiling face pull her closer to him, his eyes twinkling up at her as he asked her to come to watch him play.

_His actions didn't match reality, or was this a game to him?_

Anger coursed through her veins as she ran up to the kitchen counter and violently began pulling out ingredients. Kiki-san had prepared the dough for melon pan in the morning time and had left a note saying they could go ahead and bake it. Aien carefully pulled out the dough, that had been left to rest, and began cutting the bread dough into equal pieces. She used the flattened biscuit dough to wrap around the spherical main dough. The folding was tricky and after a few tries, she managed to get a hang of it. After folding it carefully across each pastry, she dipped it into a bowl of granulated sugar.

_HAH LIKE I CARE IF THEY DATE. I DON’T EVEN LIKE HIM._

With a sharp bread knife, she began to make crisscross marks on the soft dough, a glint in her hazel eyes. She got through about 20 melon pan buns after which she began to place them on a tray in no particular order. The crisscross marks looked a bit deeper than was intended. She patted the buns and placed them aside to let them rise before she baked them. She grabbed the sticky rice that had been steaming in the cooker.

"Time to make onigiri!" Aien exclaimed, ignoring the pain in her chest that hadn't abated in the least.

Aien kept aside a little rice in a small bowl and walked over to the altar near the living room, where they often prayed to their ancestors. She placed a small bowl of steamed rice beside the incense stick that Kiki-san had left, and closed her eyes as she offered a small prayer in gratefulness and asked her ancestors to bless her. She especially remembered her father's warm smile and felt a little comfort enter her heart. 

Engrossed in creating the perfect set of onigiri for the Kageyama Family, Her mind felt a lot more focussed the more she spent time cooking. At a demonic speed, she began shaping the warm rice into triangular-shaped forms, and for the filling, she mixed a bit of mayo and tuna from a can that she opened. She poked the filling into the center of the warm rice and And wrapped the finished rice with seaweed or nori.

_Baka Oikawa._

A tear rolled down her face, which she ignored and concentrated on arranging the onigiri neatly on a platter. The melon pan looked ready for baking, and Aien grabbed a smaller tray and pushed it into the oven. 

A few hours later, Tobio unlocked the door with his keys, exhausted from practice, his face drooping forward. He pulled off his shoes and arranged them on the rack near the entrance. He stopped in his tracks at the enticing aroma that had filled the house. Since his practice went on into the wee hours of the night, he barely cooked with Aien anymore. He eagerly went towards the kitchen, his stomach growling and tearing up his insides. But the sight that met his eyes scared him and had him double take in surprise.

He walked softly into the kitchen, Trays of warm melon pan lay on the counter... He counted out ten trays… and a few more that were cooking in the oven.

And on the side-counter, stood several triangular-shaped balls of rice, some with the seaweed wrapping and some without. Tobio was particularly fond of onigiri but there was something frightening with the amount of food that had been prepared.

He poked one of the rice cakes with the chopsticks that lay beside it, it looked fine and had the heavenly smell of umeboshi around its soft form.

“Aien?”

Aien who was mechanically shoving another tray of the melon pan into the oven didn’t seem to hear his voice.

Tobio’s eyes twitched as he stepped into the kitchen, and grabbed her arm, wondering if his sister had somehow managed to go bonkers in the short period of the morning to now. Startled, Aien screamed into his face, causing Tobio to jerk backward.

The dough from the tray crashed to the ground, spilling onto their clothes and shoes. Tobio made to catch a few and ended up squishing them in the process.

Aien gasped, “Tobio-kun, You-You scared me.” She pulled out a few kitchen towels at once and shoved a few into Tobio's arm.

"We can salvage it. PICK IT UP FAST."

Tobio stayed still, "Aien."

She was maniacally grabbing the fallen dough and arranging them into the tray, despite their slightly squished form. 

"Aien."

"Yes?" She stood up with the tray in her hands, her cheeks flushed.

He took the tray from her hands and in a quick motion, dumped the whole lot into the garbage can. And before Aien could protest, he stated in a firm voice, " Don't be an idiot." And using the paper towel, he bent down to the ground and picked up the remaining dough that lay forgotten and repeated the process of throwing it away.

Aien stayed silent. 

Tobio, “Do we have guests?”

“No.”

"Is there a storm coming up?"

"N-No.."

"Is there an um... that thing where no food is available ....a..a..?" His voice trailed off as he thought of the appropriate word.

"Draught?"

"...Yes that."

"No.."

Tobio stood back up, his blue eyes staring straight into hers. 

“Then...Why are you cooking for…for an…army?” He pointed at the dustbin, "And trying to save...food that's fallen..."

“MELON BUN.” Aien passionately punched her arm into the air, the word breaking the awkward silence. “You don’t like?”

He looked at the trays of steaming melon pan, “I do. But …” he sighed, dropping the conversation.

Aien grinned at him, “Food” she hummed to herself, this had been cathartic for her.

Tobio grabbed a slice of the melon bun and began to chomp on it while laying out his books on the dining table, and staring hard at the kanji in front of him.

Aien who was exhausted with the cooking slumped up onto a chair nearby and was shocked, she had never seen Tobio study. “Wow…Why”

He turned to her, “You’re good at this. You can teach me.”

Aien glanced at his notes. A blank notebook, with doodles all over. “….Do you ever listen in class?”

He was embarrassed, “Just teach me. English or something.”

An hour later, Aien felt her eyes closing and she lay her head onto the table. Tobio had been distracted ages ago and was watching a match on his mobile.

Absentmindedly, Aien sighed to herself, “Tobio-kun.”

“Yes.”

“I made a lot of melon bread today.”

“…”

Aien sighed again, the pain in her heart had returned, “ Melon bread …doesn’t disappoint.” Her voice broke a little, and her eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep, the corners of her eyes had crusted from the tears that she had cried during the day.

Tobio stayed up for a while, not noticing the girl who had slept off. The melon bread was indeed delicious, and the aroma reminded him of his childhood when his mother used to be present in his life a lot more than she was now. Every summer, he'd return home all sweaty and tired from his hours of playing volleyball out in the sun and he'd be greeted with a bowl of melon pan. Feeling a peace settle in his heart at the warm memory, he had devoured a few plates of the bread, conveniently forgetting the strict diet their Coach had put them all on.

For every fifteen minutes he spent with English grammar, he would spend another 30 on watching volleyball matches and this cycle continued until he couldn't take it anymore. 

He sighed, “Why do Japanese people need to study English...” He turned to Aien who was fast asleep, the corner of her mouth open as she breathed in and out, muttering quietly to herself in her sleep.

He reached out and switched the lights off, leaning back onto his chair, his eyes closing as well. The trays of onigiri and Melon pan lay undisturbed on the kitchen counter, in an array of the dark green nori and the orangish-brown color of the bread.

* * *

Kairi had been waiting for Oikawa. She leaned against the gates of her house, her pale hands clutching at a box with a bow tied around it. The bracelet of Oikawa and herself hung from her wrist. Their houses had been along the same road for years, though Kairi had spent most of her life abroad and had only returned on account of her mother's remarriage. This was common gossip back at Aoba Johsai, and Kairi was one of the most popular girls at the school for this very reason. 

Her face lit up as she spotted Oikawa strolling up the lane, his gym bag hanging from his broad shoulders as he hummed a tune, his hair was back to its flamboyant style, with not a strand out of place.

“Oikawa-san!” Her long black hair fell across her shoulders, a silky waterfall as she ran up to his side. She was indeed a beautiful girl and there weren't many boys who were immune to her charms.

“Ahh Kairi-chan. “ He smiled at her, rubbing the back of his head and respectfully removing his earphones.

She handed him a box of cookies she had made. “These are healthy-healthy cookies I made…out of oatmeal and bran.” Her blue eyes sparkled as her heart beat faster.

Oikawa frowned, “Kairi, Aoi-san is going to think I make you slave for me.”

“NO. I love doing anything for you Oikawa-san.” She coyly tucked her hair behind her ears and rocked her feet lightly. Aoi-san was Kairi's mother, a rather strict lady who had been a stickler for discipline her entire life, yet she had suffered from back issues in the last few years and so her nature had quietened. Kairi had often broken down in front of Oikawa when it came to her mother, and it was still a rather sore point for her.

He accepted the box of cookies from the girl, thanking her as he did. They chatted for a while and Kairi smoothly brought up the topic of a few people spreading rumors about the two of them.

"I didn't want everyone to find out...but they...they love gossip.." She wrung her hands in despair, her beautiful face scrunching up sadly.

Oikawa sighed, He was aware of how fast gossip spread in the school.

"If they trouble you, you can come to me." He comforted her. He glanced at his watch, "It's getting late, Nee-san is waiting for me." He smiled at her, bidding her a farewell, wanting to desperately get home and catch up on his sleep.

“Oikawa-san” She called to his retreating figure, her hand gripping at the sleeve of his jacket.

“hmm?” He seemed startled at the touch.

“I hope I’ve given you enough time to consider……to consider what I said..um that day…”

Oikawa flashed his teeth at her as he grinned sheepishly, moving his hand back to his side, “Oh...Yes, I need a little more time.”

Takeru was waiting for his uncle as he spun a ball impatiently in his hands and kept peeking through the gate, counting the seconds until he could show off what he had learned at Volleyball practice during the day time.

“You didn’t come to watch me today.” He stated.

Oikawa pushed open the gate that led to his Sister’s place, “I had my team’s practice today. Sorry Takeru-chan” He fluffed the boy's hair affectionately.

Takeru ducked, “We learned how to do sieving or something today. I suck at it.”

Oikawa laughed lightly, “Receiving? Yeah, I know a lot of people who're bad at it.”

In a more serious tone, “You should focus on improving that skill, it will serve you well later on in life.”

Takeru crouched and placed his hands in front of him in the receiving position. “BAAAAM.”

Oikawa tutted, and adjusted his arms to a better angle. “You need to focus your strength onto your feet, so the backlash won't be too much to handle.”

They practiced for a bit, Oikawa’s eyes were half shut when they entered their home and Takeru kept poking him to prevent him from sleeping off.

Takeru watched his uncle take off his shoes, “Are you and Kairi fighting?”

Oikawa gasped, “Its Kairi nee-san to you.”

Takeru didn’t care for formalities, “Are you?”

Oikawa sighed, “No..We are n_

“Are you going to break up?”

Oikawa now laughed, “Who’s teaching my little kiddo these things. Aren't you like five?”

“I'm seven now.” He responded in a flat voice.

“hai hai, You don’t have to worry about Kairi and myself.:”

“So you're breaking up?”

“We aren’t even_” Oikawa stopped himself, clearing his throat. “I’m telling Nee-san that you’re getting into shady things.” He teased. He sometimes forgot how quickly Takeru was growing up.

“Oikawa gets dumped by girls,” Takeru smirked.

Oikawa placed his arms around the boy, pulling him into a bear hug “I won't stop hugging you until you refer to me respectfully.”

Takeru struggled in his uncle's tight grip but refused to conform. He finally managed to wriggle out of the hold, pushing his uncle away as he ran back into the house.

Oikawa pretended to wipe away a tear, "Arent they supposed to be adorable and cute at this age?". He dusted himself as he stood back up, and entered the warmth of his sister's house. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd suggest re-reading chapter 12, if y'all don't remember Kairi's introduction. And, I will do my best to get a chapter up next week, but in case I can't because of Christmas, I'll make it up with a top tier chapter in Jan xx
> 
> This year has been great, thanks to all my supporters and readers!
> 
> Hope y'all have a wonderful Holiday season.  
> Love and festive Cheers,  
> Hazel xoxo


	17. Bokuaka - Is it just the wine talking?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuaka Christmas

*Swish*

*Swish*

*SWISH*

Akaashi had been constantly twitching in his sleep, his delicate features scrunching up as his body tried to ignore the consistent clamour. His fingertips began to twitch, the signs that one was being slowly dragged from the thralls of dreamland.

*SWOOOSH*

Akaashi turned in his sleep, an annoyed moan escaping his lips as he flipped to the other side, his eyes, tightly shut. The covers slipped from his weak hold, revealing long and slender legs and a pair of navy blue shorts that had ridden upwards in his sleep.

*SWOOOSH*

His eyelids began to flutter as the cold and harsh air of the morning began to sting his exposed legs, and the noises that had faded into the backgrounds of his mind got stronger and stronger.

*CRASH*

Akaashi sat up straight, his body groggy yet his mind was on full alert very much like a soldier in a warzone.

_Was that an intruder? A murderer? A thief??_

He rubbed his swollen eyes and stood up carefully, his eyes trying to adjust to the warm light that was entering through the half-shut vertical blinds and dragged himself out of his warm bed, his slipper in his hands in case he had to switch to quick offense. 

The sight that met his eyes, was enough to shock him into a cardiac arrest, his single bedroom flat had been turned into a flurry of colors and ribbons and bows and the cramped, homely and usually orderly space looked smaller than usual with a huge contraption that took up the area where his shoe rack had once been… once been? He pinched himself, clutching at an exposed space on his arms and confused that he was still dreaming.

He walked up to the streamers, carefully avoiding the wires that were haphazardly strewn on the wooden floor. On closer inspection, he noticed that a box of glass baubles lay open beside his feet. His grip on his slipper tightened as fear filled him. An unusual odour met his nostrils, and he walked past the decorations and hanging streamers and was careful to not step on anything. 

His Kitchen didn't look as out of place as the rest of his flat, the only additional oddity were the bottles of wine which were stacked up in the kitchen, one of which had been open and a stained glass beside it, proved that it had also been consumed.

Doubts filled his mind as he tilted his head wondering if he had slept through the last 6 months and this was one of those moments that happened in most Isekai anime where he had been teleported into time and was now in December. The stained glass sent a shockwave down his body as a flash of silver reminded him of...

He rushed back to the bedroom, almost tripping over decorations and boxes and panting, he stared at the bed beside his, and another shock went down his spine, the bed was empty and what was worse, the bed looked like it hadn’t been slept in.

Panic filled his heart as flashes of the energetic voice morbidly filled his mind. Akaashi ran up to the empty bed, his heart pounding heavily, there hadn’t been a moment for the past two years that the horn haired individual had ever awoken before him.

Had he been kidnapped?

Were those the noises?

What was with the decorations? The wine?

He could feel his whole body freeze as he tried to fathom thoughts that would make sense. He slammed his fists onto the bed, trying to calm his fears.

And, Just as he finally found his voice and was about to call out…

“AGAAAASHI YOU’RE AWAKE.”

Akaashi whipped around to the source of the voice, his fingertips a light blue from the cold of the morning, and in front of him stood the taller and broader Bokuto, who’s silver hair was flattened from its lack of products that usually gave him a taller and spikier look. In his arms, stood a 6 foot Christmas tree that had yet to be spruced. He wobbled into the room and moved a few boxes aside before placing the tree down and shutting the front door. Bokuto was still in his nightclothes, yet he looked like he had barely slept.

Akaashi sighed in relief, the negative energy fading away at once on seeing the silver-haired boy with the deep-set passionate golden eyes, all hale and hearty.

He knelt on the ground, the sudden morning doings had him beat and pushing his hair from his eyes, he finally spoke up, his voice still gruff from the lack of use,

“Bokuto-san…What changed….in the last eight hours.” He referred to how they had both gone to bed on the same page. There had been no signs of any form of mental regression at that time.

Bokuto was busy sprucing up each stem of the tree and had in his arms boxes of decorations and bells and sparkles and fairy lights and he smiled as he placed a bauble on the first stem. He was humming to himself, it was as though nothing was out of the ordinary. Yet to the black-haired boy, who was watching the whole scene with a horrified expression on his face, this felt like an out of body experience. 

Bokuto patted the tree and then gasped on hearing his friend’s voice, and dropped the box down in anger, and pointed at the bed, “GO TO SLEEP, AKAASHI.”

Akaashi blinked up at Bokuto, and then stood up, walking over to Boktuo and raising his hand to check if his friend had caught a fever.

Bokuto grabbed Akaashi's hand, misunderstanding the gesture, and began to usher the other boy to his bed and gently pushed him down. Akaashi finally sat on his bed, not putting up much of a fight,

“Bokuto-san…”

A pair of hands slammed onto his face, “DON’T LOOK AKAASHI.”

Akaashi stayed silent, his face stinging from the warmth of Bokuto's hand. The odd odour was back.

Bokuto grabbed the comforter that lay on Akaashi's bed and yanked it over his friend’s head, “IF YOU PEEK, THE MAGIC BREAKS. SO DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.”

Akaashi wondered to himself if the pungent smell was wine. He shook his head, Bokuto wasn't silly enough to drink in the morning.

Bokuto’s feet made a light pattering sound as he rushed back to the tree. Akaashi’s mind was whirring with thoughts as he tried to formulate pictures through the noises and crashes that greeted his ears. He mentally counted down the minutes, and every time he heard a crash, he instinctively stood up and then would remember that he was not to look. Time passed at an excruciatingly slow pace, yet his curiosity and nervousness prevented him from dozing off, as he sat obediently with the blanket over his head.

“Bokuto-san…”

“NO AKAASHI STOP IT. GO SLEEP.” He felt hands shoving at his body and he fell backward, his head hitting the soft mattress.

Every time he interrupted, he’d either get shoved back or the blanket would be rearranged, and twice was enough for Akaashi to stop trying.

He heard the tinkle of glasses and Bokuto exclaiming, "Kuroo was right NEH. This tastes so good."

His worst nightmare had been confirmed, Bokuto was indeed indulging in a light morning drink.

Finally, after what felt like eons, He felt the welcoming action of the blanket being yanked, roughly from his head, “OKAY AKAASHI, YOU MAY NOW LOOK.” Bokuto clumsily tried to flatten the bedraggled black hair that had been further messed up with the blanket.

Akaashi’s eyes flinched at the sudden onset of the warm lighting that had filled his apartment and it took him a while to get accustomed to the flickering. He moved Bokuto's hands away from his hair and gasped. The blinds had been shut, and silver-golden fairy lights surrounded the walls and cast a warm haze on the Christmas tree that stood upright- a tree that was decked with an assortment of baubles, miniature wreaths, and tiny angels. The tree had been wired with tiny LED bulbs that began to flicker as well and beside all this stood a tired yet content Bokuto.

Akaashi looked around the room, getting back up on his feet. He ran his hands through the multiple streamers that had been messily hung up on his wall. It had been years since he had celebrated anything, let alone Christmas, he came from an orthodox family that believed the lesser the better. In fact most festivals, his family would gather at a local shrine, pray and then head back home. Glamour to this extent was new for him and yet he did not despise it, his blue eyes had widened in amazement. A strange feeling filled his heart as he stared at the myriad of decorations.

He flinched as his toe snubbed against the edge of something, it was the black contraption with the cylindrical nozzle that stayed motionless in the same corner. He paled, realizing that he hadn’t said a word for the last few minutes, “Wha..What is all this Bokuto-san?”

“THIS IS FOR YOU AKAASHI.” Bokuto beamed, swaying a little from his spot. He reached out and soft music began to play.

Akaashi stared at the boombox, Where had Bokuto found all this?

“H-huh”

Bokuto grabbed a suspiciously fluffy object from one of the chairs and approached Akaashi who backed away, his hands covering his torso, protectively.

“AKAASHI PLEASE, THIS IS FOR THE MOMENT.” He pointed at what he was wearing, it was a less tacky version of the one he was carrying in his arms and it was rather tight on Bokuto’s upper muscles, the fabric really stretching out, “They only had this size for me.” He held out the red robe, which had white fur surrounding its collars and Akaashi reluctantly allowed the latter to help him into it, the music helping lighten the mood.

Bokuto's ears twitched in excitement as he gleefully punched his fists up in the air, “You look perfect Akaashi.” He turned Akaashi around to admire his handiwork, the robe was a few sizes large, yet it gave the boy a cozy look and the fur made him look like a huggable teddy bear.

Bokuto began to look around, muttering to himself about Christmas hats, and finally found it between two empty boxes.

Meanwhile, Akaashi had reached the end of his patience, and turned to the boy with the pair of hats in his hand, “I don’t follow…what all this is for.”

Bokuto sheepishly ran his fingers through his flat and knotted hair and bit his lower lip, “I…..I saw….”

He couldn’t meet Akaashi’s eyes as he tried desperately to come up with an explanation for why their room looked like Santa’s workplace.

“I WANTED TO SURPRISE YOU AKAASHI.” He finally settled on the safest sentence that formed in his mind. And beamed.

Akaashi was confused, scratching at his neck, “It’s July…Bokuto-san.”

“I know I know….I JUST WANTED TO…”, He turned to the right and grabbed a few of the wreaths that hadn’t been hung up, and shoved them into Akaashi’s hands, “FEEL IT. ISNT IT SOFT?”

Akaashi stumbled backward with the sudden shove, the streamers that were strewn on the floor, had entangled themselves onto the boys' feet, causing Akaashi to crash onto the floor, whilst pulling Bokuto who had his hands entangled in the wreaths.

*CRASH*

Bokuto’s eyes widened as he fell onto an unware Akaashi, who yelped in pain as the heavier boy’s body crashed into his. Another louder sound resonated in their ears and a volley of confetti shot out into the air and crashed on the two boys. Another louder sound and a flurry of cotton like snow burst out into the air and fell mostly onto Boktuo, making his hair look whiter than silver.

When the two boys had fallen down, Bokuto’s feet had landed on the push button of the Snow Machine/ Confetti machine or the black contraption and had sent it into auto mode, which meant that it would be sending out a volley of confetti as well as snow alternatively, courtesy of Kuro. 

~And, Darling All I ever wanted was to be with you ~

A lady sang out from the boombox, her words dripping with emotion and pain.

Akaashi lay pinned to the ground, motionless, his heart pounding.

There was silence for a few seconds apart from the music, before Bokuto burst out laughing, raising his body slowly, and using his hands to support himself, each arm placed beside Akaashi’s head and slowly picked out a few confetti from his hair, “MANN….I timed it so badly didn’t I?”. His breath was warm on Akaashi's face and smelt very strongly of the strange odour, it was indeed wine.

Akaashi’s face turned a light shade of pink as he counted calmly in his mind, turning his face to the side.

“Akaashi…..U look like a Christmas tree.” He laughed, still in the uncomfortable position that made the other boy squirm. But Bokuto was as unaware as always and hadn’t budged.

Sure enough, with the streamers, the snow spray, the confetti, and the red fur robe, Akaashi had a very Christmassy vibe. The machine was still on autopilot mode and the room was filled with bursts of snow as well as confetti.

Bokuto continued picking confetti from Akaashi's hair, confetti that was replaced by the machine every 40 seconds.

Akaashi finally shoved his hands onto Bokuto’s chest, his face still turned to the side, “Bokuto-san….It’s too early for…for this.”

He didn’t specify if _this_ referred to Bokuto being his usual, oblivious self or if _this_ referred to the Christmas decorations.

Bokuto looked at the hands on his chest and frowned, "You didn't like...this.."

Akaashi turned his face back in shock, the blue meeting the golden, "No. Of course, I-I love it." He immediately regretted the eye contact. Bokuto had the most passionate and intense eyes and it often made Akaashi's resolve flicker.

Bokuto didn't break the eye contact, until a light shove from Akaashi made him straighten up and he rolled off Akaashi and sat beside him, his eyes sad. “I…I heard you…talking to…”, His voice trailed off.

Akaashi sat up, and adjusted his clothes, and took a deep breath before replying, “To?”

“To….Kenma….about….”, He looked embarrassed, turning to the side.

Akaashi removed the streamers that were entangled around his arms, he hadn’t bothered dusting the confetti, as the machine was still on, “About?”

He earnestly turned to Akaashi, “That you've never celebrated Christmas!”

Akaashi’s eyes widened, this had been a conversation he had with Kenma in a moment of weakness as Kenma had shown him a character skin that had reminded of Santa's elves and that had him feel a tinge of nostalgia as he remembered staring at peoples houses every winter, envious of the lights and stars.

“So I wanted to make it up for you...for all these years.” He frowned, “But Akaashi woke up too soon.”

Akaashi felt his heart, beat a little faster and he shook his head, dazed from all this morning's happenings, “ Bokuto-san...Is that why you...”

He grinned, "Yes, I asked Kuro to lend me some stuff. AND I GOT US WINE AKAASHI."

"We are not supposed to drink...Bokuto-san."

Bokuto placed a finger on his lips, "It's only for Christmas. And, I wanted you to have your first Christmas with me."

Akaashi had given up on explaining that it wasn't December, and instead smiled, looking down at his hands, "I'm...I'm touched."

Bokuto grabbed Akaashi’s shoulders, and peered into his eyes, “I’M SORRY THAT I DIDN’T KNOW YOU BEFORE FUKURODANI AND MAYBE IT'S THE WINE TALKING BUT I WILL SPEND EVERY CHRISTMAS HEREAFTER WITH YOU.” The boy's face was the epitome of purity as he stared his friend down, his silver hair falling onto his face and his eyes slightly red.

Akaashi sighed, his hand fidgeting until it came across a red soft hat, which he placed on Boktuo’s soft head, wiping away a smidge of snow that had settled on his nose, “Merry early Christmas Bokuto-san.”

Bokuto, who’s eyes had saddened, immediately lit up, and grabbed the other hat, settling it on Akaashi’s soft hair, “Merry early Christmas Akaashi.”

Akaashi stood up, "Come, let's get the mess cleared up so I can look at my first Christmas tree."

Bokuto giggled, "I'M SO EXCITED." He swayed as he tried to stand up.

Akaashi helped him up, almost falling over himself, "And, no more wine for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was a fast Christmas...I miss it already :(
> 
> I'm not really sorry for these cute bokuaka moments which is a change from the angsty tale of Aien and Oikawa but yes, I will get back to the main plot.
> 
> Cookies and Eggnog to everyone!  
> Hazel


	18. A Rugged kind of Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving onto the second season's Tokyo practises and Aien's plans on securing an interview date with Oikawa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OC'S
> 
> Eric- Currently working with Aien for The Initiative   
> Luna- A friend Aien had made at the book club, but someone who stopped talking to her on account of the whole Kairi/Oikawa/Aien misunderstanding.   
> Kairi- Claims to be dating Oikawa.  
> Senti- One of her minions

“Oikawa-san...Um... I would totally love to take your interview.”

“Oikawa-san... You, who I have to interview, As a person who is your friend...”

“Oikawa san... You arrogant son of a ….telephone.” Aien deadpanned as she stared at her reflection.

She groaned, sinking to the bottom of her room's resin full-length mirror, clutching at strands of brown hair. Her preparations for The Initiative's undercover project - ' **Unboxing Minds'** had been unable to proceed onto its gradual stages given that its key perpetrator was undergoing a severe case of anxiety and adolescent awkwardness. As the number of passive-aggressive messages from the stand-in head of the office, Maya, and the calls of pure distress from college student/part-timer, Eric increased exponentially, it made Aien all the more jittery and had her even consider switching her phone off and moving back to Nagoya and starting life over as a rice farmer - an idea that had been crushed to smithereens by a very furious Tobio who proceeded to slam his volleyball at a frightening velocity onto the floorboards. In her nervous frenzy, she realized sharing her ideas with Tobio was a no go, and hence began a series of stealthily planned getaways, but every attempt was destroyed by a demonic Tobio who kept his eyes on her like a hawk.

Her saving grace was a long call with an overly calm Akaashi, who had gone as far as to draft a series of interview questions, to help her avoid a prolonged conversation with the man of the hour. Yet, it was not the lack of material that had her hesitate, but the looming fear of confrontation. Her final solution had been to build confidence by practicing conversations with herself, using her mirror as a reference but her train of thought miserably broke at every mention of the boy's name. 

“AHHHHHHHHHH”, She bellowed into the crook of her arms as secondhand embarrassment filled her curled up form. Tobio had left early in the morning to retake an exam that he had failed, after which he was to travel to Tokyo for a series of practice matches. Despite her erratic outbursts, she had managed to help Tobio through his studies and was sure he'd be able to score a passing grade. Through bowls of soba noodles and ungodly sleep schedules, the two of them had spent their week either, studying, panicking, or planning out escape routes (The latter was mostly the damsel).

Aien was grateful to see the weekend, and headed to school for her Saturday Club Activities, walking alongside an excited Kindaichi who had a spring in his step as he announced.

“CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, OIKAWA-SAN GOT A COLLEGE TEAM to agree to play against us.”

Aien stared up at him, a feeling of relief spreading through her bones, as a prospective excuse crept up. She pictured herself explaining to Maya in a distraught tone how she stood waiting for hours to get an interview, yet the boy was so busy with his match that he barely spared her a glance.

“Oh that’s today?”, She replied in a casual voice.

“I FEEL IT IN MY BONES. THIS TIME AROUND WE WILL HAVE A CRUSHING VICTORY AGAINST KSH.” He turned to Aien, suspiciously, “ Is Tobio’s team also practicing a lot?”

“Oh…I’m not sure…He’s in Tokyo now_

Kindaichi grabbed a surprised Aien by her shoulders, “NO WAY!!!! THEY WENT TO TOKYO?”

Aien flushed, “I think?”

They parted ways at the entrance to their clubs, Kindaichi had spent the remainder of their walk, muttering to himself. The book club was bustling with life and energy as students spoke gleefully about the school festival that wasn't too far off. Aien's class had decided to open up a stall for miscellaneous products ranging from earrings to short poems. She hadn't been included in the discussions and quite contrary to public opinion, Aien felt at peace with her lack of participation.

Luna was sitting on a couch, the hood of her sweater pulled over her hand, as she laughed with a bunch of her classmates. Her eyes met Aien’s as she stepped in, pausing for a second at the girl's face before she turned her gaze to the floor, pretending to adjust her skirt.

Aien sighed, she was used to them avoiding her, but that didn’t make her days any easier. She chose a corner of the library that was remotely empty and placed her satchel at the small table in gratefulness. This had been her corner for all visits to the library, as it also happened to be near the Fiction section. She pulled out a manga copy from her bag, a book that she had salvaged from Tobio's room, and began to pore through its pages. Growing up, she had spent most of her time building her vocabulary through novels that comics had taken a backseat, and she decided to give comics a try once again.

A few minutes into her reading, she felt a seat slam against her table, sending the table into a series of unseemly wobbles. She had chosen a corner where not a lot of people would see or bother her which was why the action left her frazzled as she anticipated a new onset of bullying.

"Move to another table." A voice snapped at her.

Aien had expected one of Kairi's girls but was shocked to see a boy with a feral expression, snarl at her. He had short-cropped blond hair with two black stripes that ran across the sides of his head, and his honey brown eyes were narrowed as they gazed down at her.

Aien, instinctively stood up, to make place for the boy, as she moved to a chair opposite the one she had been sitting at. She wasn't giving up this table no matter how violent the boy got, because going back into the crowd meant dealing with Kairi's cronies and their comments.

He slammed his hands on the table, stressing every syllable, "I want to sit alone."

Despite her fear of the angry boy, Aien had no desire to enter the fray of wild gossiping girls, " S-So do I." She held eye contact with the boy expecting him to chokeslam her to the ground and rip her throat out. Her fingers tightened their grip over the manga in her hands as she thanked the gods for the life she had lived so far.

To her surprise he broke eye contact, growling softly. "Don't look at me."

She bowed, "I won't. I ask that you won't look at me either." 

His growling intensified as she took the seat opposite his, "I'd rather die first."

There was a silence that followed this yakuza like introduction, and Aien avoided looking up at the person who sat in front of her. He reminded her strangely of a wild, rabid animal, not knowing that she had happened upon his nickname, 'Mad Dog'.

Her phone vibrating in her pocket was what startled her, causing her to yelp softly. They weren't allowed phones in their first year, But Aien had snuck hers in as it was a Saturday and she had expected Tobio to send her updates. She lowered her voice as she spoke into the phone,

"E-Eric."

"AIEN PLEASE SEND ME THE INTERVIEW TODAY. MAYA ..." His voice broke into a whisper, "She's scaring me...Please..."

Aien glanced at the boy in front of her, and moved slightly back, "Uh...They have a match today."

"THEY DO?"

She felt her phone being snatched from her hand, as she stared in shock and amazement at the reflexes of the boy who had been sitting in front of her just a few seconds ago. 

"F*** off." He spat into the phone before slamming it on the table and turning to Aien, "I want peace and quiet."

Aien, who was on a borderline panic attack, nodded, her face stretched out into what looked more like a grimace than a smile. She counted the seconds to the mid-day bell, which signaled their break time, and rushed off into the corridors, her chest heaving. She redialled Eric, who sounded like he'd been crying, and after apologizing for the incident, promised him that she'd set a date for the interview. 

Aien approached the volleyball room in trepidation. Had it not been for how her safe zone had been vandalized by the boy with the hooded eyes, she'd have managed another day of procrastination. This was the moment of reckoning. But just as she reached the steps of the Volleyball room, she realized that she must have really sinned in her previous life because exiting the door was the feral boy, his face the picture of vicious madness as he slammed the door behind him. He kicked at the wall, snarling to himself. His eyes as wild as ever and on seeing Aien, his glare deepened, and he marched towards her, his shoulders hunched over in a threatening posture.

Aien began praying softly in her mind, trying to make it look like her being there was an accident.

"Are you following me?" He growled, standing a few inches from her. 

Aien skittishly moved her feet, as she protested, "No-No....No way. Never." She shook her head vehemently.

"Then, Are you part of the men's team?"

"haha...I'm a girl, of course." She nervously laughed, yet internally her mind had shut down. This was how she was going to die.

"Are you laughing at me?" He spat, his figure towering over her.

Aien paled as she burst out "Ha... Please don't kill me." 

He stopped in his tracks, his face, confused, "What..."

"I'll be better, I'll not procrastinate ever again. I'll make Oikawa-san take this interview for sure." She promised herself. She froze as she realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud.

At the mention of Oikawa's name, the glare returned and the boy's guard was back on. He cursed under his breath before shoving past her, causing her to lose her bearings as she crashed onto the ground, with a small yell. He looked startled at the sight of the girl on the ground, yet on the onset of approaching voices, he glared at her and walked briskly away from the scene.

“I told you he was a bad news_Aien?”

Iwaizumi rushed forward to help the dazed girl. He frowned at the retreating figure, vowing to talk to the boy himself if he laid hands on a girl again.

“Iwa-chan, We need him.” Oikawa followed closely, unaware of the situation that had taken place outside the volleyball room, and had raised his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face, displaying a pale body that had been carved to perfection. Indeed, a sculpture that had followed the ideal male body to a T.

Aien felt the color rise in her cheeks and she tried to curb it by violently pinching herself and clearing her throat as she forced her mind to conjure images of anything but the boy in front of her.

Iwaizumi ignored Oikawa, “You okay?”

Aien bowed, “Iwazumi-san thank you..”. Her arms stung a little from the violent push, and a part of her was sure she was going to bruise later on.

He shifted, “Here for Trashy_ I mean Oikawa ?” With his other hand, he grabbed Oikawa’s hand, “Stop flashing everyone.”

Oikawa stared in surprise, mid-action, his shirt still pulled up, “Aien-chan? It’s been so long.”

Aien felt her heart flutter, and she turned away in annoyance. How am I supposed to face him?

 _*_ Badump*

_Oikawa-san is someone I look upto._

*Badump*

She felt her toes curl up in cringe.

Iwaziumi raised his hands, “Catch you guys later.” Passing by Oikawa, he whispered, “Don’t act like a loser now.” And with a quick yank, he re-arranged Oikawa’s tee.

Oikawa grinned at him before walking up to Aien, “I'm honored that you’re here for me.” He frowned when he noticed she hadn’t turned to face him. Her short figure was trembling in front of him, her brown hair tied up into a loose ponytail. He tilted his head in confusion and reached out to her and it was at that time, she turned back furiously, her face a mixture of anger and frustration, as she yelled out, louder than she had anticipated, “I NEED A FAVOR, OH OIKAWA-SAMA.”

He stared at her, shocked by the use of honorifics.

Aien felt her courage shatter.

_Seriously?_

_Oikawa-sama..._

A cloud of gloom enveloped her head as she stared holes into the ground beneath her.

Oikawa held his hand to his mouth to stifle a laugh and took a step closer to the girl.

She quickly backed away, “D-Don’t get me wrong, It’s a small favor..I-I won't bother you after I’m done…”

Kairi’s face flashed in her mind and that was what kept her from deviating from the matter at hand. Every nerve in her body wanted her to finish this conversation. She avoided looking him in the eyes, thinking to herself, if she had this her way, she would have never met Oikawa again.

Oikawa crossed his arms, smirking, oblivious to the valley of emotions in the girl's mind, “What kind of favor?”. His face arrogantly eyed her.

“I-Interview…I need an_an interview from you…”

Oikawa raised an eyebrow, “You want to interview me?”, His voice was mildly mocking yet there was a dangerous edge to his tone. Aien had unintentionally stepped into unsafe territory. 

Aien kept her gaze to his feet, and lowered her voice as she meekly spoke up, “For my part-time job…”

Oikawa raised his hand, “No.”

“huH? Why?” Her neck snapped up in frustration and she had finally found her voice, “You’ve given so many already…”

“That’s exactly why I don’t want to give another one.”

Aien was angered, “Is it because we are a small-time magazine?”. She clenched her fists as she recalled how he willingly posed for the hordes of magazines that visited their school.

Oikawa sat on the steps of the volleyball room, twiddling his thumbs, “Yep.”

“I-I…”, She was speechless, Had he always been this arrogant?

On remembering Maya's threats of cursing both Eric and her, AIen bowed her head, “I’ll do anything you want in return. I-I I need this interview…Oikawa-san.” Her eyes were back to staring at the ground between them. She was not going to knowingly have her already crappy luck, take a turn for the worse.

He laughed, a crisp laugh that cut through the air, “Anything?” He didn’t stop laughing, ignoring the indignant look on her face. “What could you have to offer that I don’t already have?”

Aien knew this was a hopeless case, but she hadn’t anticipated Oikawa refusing her. She stared at him helplessly, “I’ll write reports for you or I don't know...cook for you...“. She tugged at the sleeves of her jacket, "There has to be something...that you want."

"BOYS GATHER AROUND. BREAK TIME IS OVER."

Oikawa grinned, “Well I got to go back in, Give it some thought…Aien-chan” He winked at her, and, after a frown, adjusted her lopsided bow. Her head was still bowed, causing Oikawa to click his tongue in annoyance, and on an impulse, he placed a finger under his chin, guiding it to his eye level, and stated in a softer voice, “I like it when we have eye contact.” 

Aien was frozen to her spot, her single large hazel eye, a turmoil of emotions, as her other eye lay hidden by the black eyepatch that covered it, and they stayed eye to eye for a few seconds, before Oikawa smirked and straightened his back, satisfied with her reaction. 

Aien was aghast as she took a few steps back in anger, and finally half in tears and half in anger, “You need to stop doing that!”, She burst out, her heart beating nervously.

Oikawa turned back in surprise, “Aien?” but all he caught was the girl running away from the volleyball room. He wasn't used to girls running away from him and this behavior puzzled him.

He glanced at the ground, her bow had fallen off onto the ground. He knelt down to pick it up, dusting it before putting it into his pocket.

Hanamaki and Matsukawa, who had been drinking glucose water and watching the scene shook their heads in unison, “We need a nicer Captain.”

“Or a smarter one.” Iwaizumi piqued in. He had a disapproving look on his face.

Oikawa walked in, casually, “ I don’t know why she's so mad.”

The boys who had been standing together, gave each other looks, before ignoring him and walking away, conversing amongst themselves.

“Ahh?? Guys??” He called out, rubbing his head, cluelessly. 

***********************************************************************************************************

Aien had taken a detour to cool herself down, her cheeks ablaze with the humiliation of how Oikawa toyed with her so casually. and her heart sank, as she realized that he had refused to do the interview. She spent a solid ten minutes walking around aimlessly before heading back to the library.

Luna had been waiting impatiently for Aien, and cornered her at the library door, her face deep in thought, “Aien… You need to stop flirting with Oikawa-san.”’

“Huh?” Aien noticed the accusatory look in Luna’s eyes, and the color began to drop from her face. She had done her best to keep her distance from Oikawa yet…yet he had broken the space between them with his last action.

Luna turned to her side, and sure enough, a few girls were looking in their direction. Meanwhile, Aien was having a mini panic attack as she considered the possibilities,

_Had Luna followed her outside?_

_Had they been videotaped?_

_Was this some sort of reckoning?_

_Had the feral boy set this up?_

Luna gave the girls a false and exaggerated grin before grabbing Aien’s arm and rushing to a corner behind a few ivory pillars, checking her surroundings, “I can't be seen talking to you. Kairi told the juniors to avoid you.”

Aien bit her lip, “Is that why you stopped talking to me?”

Luna stared at Aien, her face not giving anything away, “ Aien. You cant flirt with a senior especially when he's taken... You're asking for trouble.”

“But I'm not.”

“I just saw you with him. We have a clear view of the volleyball room on the second floor... And so did a few other girls, and they're definitely going to report this to Kairi.”

Aien held her breath, “Luna I-

Luna shook her head, “I’m just warning you to stay lowkey. I don’t want to get into the bad books of Kairi.”

She shook her head and rushed away from Aien. The bell rang again to inform them that their breaks were over.

Aien followed suit, her face contorted in worry.

The whispering had begun once again, and accusatory glances were thrown in her direction. She chose to ignore them and headed to her table towards the back of the library, away from peeping eyes. The feral boy was nowhere to be seen, yet in his place were a few girls who stood ramrod straight as they emitted hostile vibes. She recognized the short girl with cropped black hair as one of Kairi's close friends- Senti.

The girl with the black hair, Senti, smirked, blocking Aien's path, "You're lucky Kairi is busy with festival activities."

Another girl spoke up, "You need to be taught a lesson...Eyepatch."

Luna turned as white as a sheet, watching the scene that she had predicted, play out in front of her.

Aien ignored the biting remarks from the girls as she noticed that her bag was still at the table and cursed herself mentally for not carrying it with her but she had been in a hurry to get away from the feral boy. Senti followed her gaze and pulled at the satchel, spilling its contents on the floor.

"I am not flirting with Oikawa-san," Aien stated, in a voice that broke towards the end of its sentence. She made an attempt to start picking her books up when one of the girls stepped on the manga, which was Tobio's. Another girl tugged at Aien's eyepatch, causing the material to hit the ground before she stepped on it.

Aien's eyes widened as she helplessly spoke, her voice raised, "Please. Can we talk this out...?"

"Why do you wear an eyepatch?" The girl who was stepping on the eyepatch commented, laughing. "Cause it's cool?"

_No, you awful person, It's because I don't want to die of an epileptic attack._

Aien counted calmly in her mind, though the tears had begun to well up in her eyes. "You can stamp my belongings as much as you want, but please leave the manga alone. It doesn't belong to me." Her voice shivered but her determination to protect her brother's belonging at the cost of hers was what drove her to speak her mind.

Senti grinned, picking up the book and holding it above her head, "Neither does Oikawa." Her remark was met with a bunch of ooh's and ahh's that filled the library. 

A few of the girls murmured about how Aien was a homewrecker and how she deserved to be dealt with in this way.

Aien, almost in tears, "I-I am tired of trying to explain_

Senti held both edges of the book with her hands and made a motion that looked like she was about to rip the book into shreds, "Like I care who's book this is." 

A many kilometers away, a boy with black hair and startling blue eyes fell into a coughing fit as he wondered to himself if he had caught a cold.

"NO..." Aien broke down, "Please..."

The next few actions happened at a speed that left most of its onlookers in a daze. A rough hand gripped Senti's hand and the other hand pried the book from hers. His actions reminded a few of a wolf protecting his cubs, with the exception of fangs being barred. His eyes on the girls in front of him, he spoke in a voice that sent shivers down their spines,

"F******g move out of the way before I thrash you all." 

Aien froze on hearing the gruff voice and felt the hair on her neck rise. She knew the voice. 

The volley of girls didn't need to be told twice and immediately parted ways on noticing him. Senti trembled with rage yet she wasn't crazy enough to mess with the school delinquent. He was a student the whole school was wary of. The crowd of onlookers wondered what had made him step in to stop a fight when he was someone who was most popular for starting brawls.

Aien turned slowly to him, and he immediately returned a menacing stare. A part of her wondered whether she had imagined this or was his glare softer than before. He threw the manga at Aien's feet.

"Don't cry." The voice spoke shortly, taking a seat at the table as though nothing had happened.

Aien didn't know if thanking the boy would anger him, so she kept salvaging her books, placing the manga back into her bag. She wiped the tears from her eyes and picked up the eyepatch that had been stomped. She rearranged her bangs to hide her left eye, and on touching her scalp, realized that her bow was missing.

_Those girls must have taken it..._

Timidly, she took a seat opposite the boy, half expecting him to make her scram. 

"T-Thank you..um..."

"Kentarou"

"Uh...Kentarou-san."

He growled, "Just Kentarou." His brown eyes narrowed at her eye contact.

She immediately turned to her side, "UM...HAI. Ke-Ken-Kentarou..."

"Stop talking to me."

She nodded, covering her mouth with her hand. He was still someone who scared her, yet his gesture of standing up for her when no one else had, made her feel guilty for judging him on the basis of his rugged appearance. 

_I need to tell Eric that I can't take up this interview_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayy, 2021's first chapter.  
> I have no idea why but I'm majorly crushing on Kyoutani. Because under all that angst, he's a sweetheart? Maybe?
> 
> Hope this year is a little better than the last,  
> Cheers  
> Hazel xx


	19. Cafe Love-Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa finds himself unable to balance his life... Aien, meanwhile is coerced into finding a way to appease him.  
> Second half of the chapter is S2 E6

“Takeru-chan! Nice one!!” Oikawa grinned from the bleachers, as he watched his nephew finally make a decent receive. Takeru had his small arms stretched out in front of him, his fingers tightly interlocked as he positioned his body the way his uncle had taught him though the rebound hit him hard causing him to tumble backward with a yell. A few of his friends yelled out to check if he was okay while Oikawa tapped his feet as he tried to keep himself from intervening. Takeru had given him strict instructions that under no circumstances was Oikawa to embarrass him in front of his friends.

Iwaizumi who sat beside him watched on quietly. They had left practice early as it had been a few weeks since Takeru had been chosen for the Junior Volleyball Academy and Oikawa had been on edge ever since as he stressed the importance of the early years. He understood that this was important for Oikawa, to guide his nephew on the right path and make him a force to reckon with yet there was an underlying unease that filled his heart as he thought about their upcoming matches.

He turned to his friend, who had a doting expression on his face as he clicked pictures on his phone. Takeru finally ran up to them, his forehead caked with sweat,

“Tooru...You’re being loud.” He commented as Oikawa handed him a towel.

Iwaizumi snorted, Though the unrest in his heart was crushing him, it was always amusing how dry Takeru was with his uncle.

Oikawa glared at them, “I managed to get him to stop calling me Oikawa.” And he turned to the younger boy, “Tooru is just as bad as Oikawa.”

Takeru sighed, “I want to get good fast.” He tapped his feet impatiently as he described another boy in their batch who was naturally steady on his feet but there wasn't an ounce of jealousy in his voice, if anything Takeru was motivated.

Oikawa took back the towel and as he was folding said in a quiet voice, as memories stirred in his head, “Patience...”

He handed Oikawa his bottle and rushed back to his friends as their coach blew the whistle, signaling the start of the game.

Iwaizumi spoke, his voice lowered, “He’s a child…Oikawa.” He hesitated on his friend's last name, as a plethora of other names were usually used in its place.

“I KNOW.” Oikawa exclaimed, “I just…I just don’t want him to feel he’s not good enough.” His hands trembled a little as he slammed his fists onto his lap.

Iwaizumi leaned back on the bleachers, as he watched the boys practice receiving positions, most of them had fresh purple-blue bruises on their arms, “ He will figure out his life on his own… just like we did.”

Oikawa smiled, a dark aura surrounding him, “With just a little help from us.”

Iwaizumi sighed, “You figure out your life first.” He shut his eyes, “We can’t keep missing practice.”

Oikawa yelled out, “TAKERU CHAN NICE BLOCKING POSITION.” He shook the peaceful Iwaizumi roughly, “SEE. I TAUGHT HIM THAT.”

Takeru looked embarrassed and glared at Oikawa before focusing his attention on his game once again.

“He’s gonna grow up hating you.” Iwaizumi observed, having been rudely disturbed from his peaceful position.

Oikawa, with a gleam in his eyes, “ I see potential in him.”

Iwaizumi tried again, “ We should get back to practice.”

Oikawa sighed, “I wish I could be at both places at the same time.” He turned to Iwaizumi, “ Can I somehow split myself into two?”

“I’d gladly slice you up, but let’s keep the experimenting for after the nationals.” He replied shortly.

Oikawa gasped, “You’re so hidoii Iwa-chan.”

The boy's coach seeing the two older boys stand up smiled warmly at them. Takeru waved at Oikawa and Iwaizumi and turned his attention back to the game.

“Thanks for your time Oikawa!” He called out.

Takeru waved at Oikawa and Iwaizumi and turned his attention back to the game.

Oikawa grinned at the Coach, bowing respectfully before stepping out with Iwaizumi. They walked on, deep in thought, both of them dealing with their own demons of anxiety.

“Iwa-chan”

“No.”

“I didn’t even say anything yet.”’

Iwaizumi walked a little faster, “Yes I just don’t want to have anything to do with you... Especially when you use that tone.”

Oikawa laughed but continued with his train of thought, “I need to make a decision and I need to make it fast.”

Iwaizumi paused, “ Is it about…her?”

Oikawa nodded, “I don’t know what to do.”

Iwaizumi sighed, “You don’t have time to juggle girls right now.”

Oikawa placed his arms behind his head as he walked on, “She’s gone through a lot.”

“That’s hardly a reason to be with someone.”

Another bought of silence fell between the two, and as they neared the school, Oikawa finally spoke up, “Let’s see how this plays out.”

Iwaizumi began to take off his outdoor shoes, “You better be honest with Aien then.”

Oikawa frowned, “Aien? Why her?”

Iwiaziumi stared blankly at his friend, before shaking his head and stepping into the room.

“Huh??? What's with him?”, He shook his head, in surprise as he followed after Iwaizumi. He recalled Aien's angry face and grinned to himself, "She's a cute one though..."

~ A few days later at The Kageyama Residence~ 

Aien lay on her stomach as she flipped through pages of material that Eric had dumped on her as she supposedly prepared for the interview with Oikawa, an interview which had been refused without a second thought. She hadn’t plucked up the courage to admit this to Eric because the boy was treading a delicate path as it were. Days had passed and her contact with Oikawa lessened, yet the pain in her chest didn’t abate in the least. 

Ever Since Koutani's stance, the majority of Aoba Johsai's girls were scared to gossip publically about Aien as the boy was notorious for his wild mood swings and rumors had it, he had maimed a student in broad daylight. But Aien was unaware of the change in atmosphere as she had tuned out the population of students in her school.

She spent a few more minutes on her musings when all of a sudden a loud crash filled the dead silence of the night, making her jump to her feet, letting out a small yelp.

This had been a reflexive reaction, yet her face didn’t show signs of shock in the least. She was getting used to Tobio’s mood swings, which seemed to have worsened in the past few days ever since he returned from his match in Tokyo. He'd constantly knock into items and she was aware that he'd been throwing books around in his room in anger. Yet, he refused to speak a word of what was on his mind. Anytime she saw him, He’d be slouching and muttering swear words to himself as he went on with his chores.

He was currently moping the floorboards and volleyball commentary played out in the background. Aien went back to her articles, putting aside the crash as a normal happening, and in awe at Maya’s vocabulary range and her articulation of every sentence in older interviews that they’d taken with individuals in the prefecture.

_Maya is really talented…I wish I were as talented as her…_

“OH FOR THE LOVE OF_” The rest of his words were covered by the sound of water spilling onto the tiles.

“Tobio!” Aien called out rushing out of her room, almost slipping on the tiles as she reached the living room.

A few bruises and curse words later, a grumpy Tobio sat at his table, his finger tapping the table at an annoyingly fast rhythm. They had had to mop up the excess water before it reached the sofa and caused additional damages and had spent the past hour cleaning up the mess. The air was taut with tension, it was the heart-to-heart that none of them were looking forward to, Tobio's reason being he was a social recluse and Aien's being, she was awful at advice and any form of conversation.

Tobio grunted, not meeting her eyes, his lips in a thin, mean curl.

Aien felt a cold sweat build up as she plucked up the courage to take the bull by the horns, “Tobio-kun…Is something bothering you?”

He grunted, his frown deepening, his blue eyes were a storm of emotion, casting a midnight black hue to his light irises.

Aien sighed. She pulled out a magazine of The Initiative and began to read through it, deciding to give Tobio the time he wanted before he opened up. She was halfway done with an article about a horse thief when she heard Tobio conjure an array of disgruntled noises.

Aien looked back up, expectantly, giving him more time to form words.

His next attempt was a series of non-human words, his face ablaze with abashment.

Aien chewed on the inside of her cheeks as she waited patiently.

“I-I…am confused.” He finally managed in a quiet voice, pursing his lips.

It took all of Aien's resolve to prevent her from sighing in relief as she questioned him, “About?”

“Volleyball stuff…” His words had come to a still as he rubbed the back of his head, "About a decision I need to make in the game." 

Aien bookmarked the page she was on and turned to him in a serious tone, “Oh…Maybe your captain can help?”

Tobio shook his head, “I don’t think anyone in KSH can give me the answers I'm looking for.”

Aien absentmindedly played with the colorful bookmarks' tag as she replied, “Then maybe someone from another school can…”

Tobio was silent. There was someone that indeed came to mind but he knew that person would never help him.

“There’s no one.”

Aien snapped her fingers, “Then maybe you should retrace your steps…Where it all started…”

“…I don’t know…”

“You have to be persistent Tobio-kun. If you want answers and someone doesn’t give it, YOU PUSH THEM INTO DOING SO.” She spoke these words, realizing how true they held for her as well. 

Both Siblings were unaware of how the universe had tied both of their answers onto the whims of an arrogant young man with a flair for trouble. Was it fate or was it merely a chance?

Tobio seemed deep in thought while he considered her words, “Back to where it all started....”. Images of his junior school volleyball training facility flashed in his mind, "I might go somewhere tomorrow.."

An awkward silence filled the room as the two of them were at a loss for words until Tobio broke the quiet with, " Pork ribs?"

* * *

~The Next Day~

“ _I’m currently sitting at a café…_ ” Aien thought to herself, shifting slightly on the wooden benches located in the homely place. Though it was supposedly a continental café, the menu was very Japanese yet a lot of people frequented it as it was one of the few cafes in the prefecture and was a hotspot for couples.

“ _I’m currently sitting at a café with Eric._ ” She added, glancing to her side at a pale man who was going through a series of notes in a bunch of folders.

“ _We’re waiting for someone. Though I suspect he will join us._ ” She continued mentally assessing the situation.

They were an odd pair, Eric with his shaggy hair covering his eyes and his slouched shoulders looked like he was on the verge of another breakdown, Aien had pushed her bangs out of her face, hence revealing the single eye patch that further increased the number of stares the two were attracting. They sat in silence, the only auditory disturbance was from a record that was playing in the background, that had static interrupt it constantly, and for Aien, the only sounds that she could hear were from her heart that was beating at a frighteningly fast pace. A lady in her early twenties walked up to them in a pink apron,

“Are you ready to order?”

Eric fumbled around for the menu, dropping a few of his papers in the process, “Uh…Water?”

Aien caught the lady’s placid expression change to one of irritation, and interrupted them, “We’ll have uh two cold coffee’s.” It was obvious that she mistook them for a couple who were here to kill time, without ordering a thing.

The lady gave Eric a lingering look before nodding and stepping away.

Eric slammed his head onto the table, startling Aien, groaning as his head hit the table. “I’m never leaving this prefecture…I want the city life…”

“…”

He groaned, “AHHHHHH, I have not even tasted coffee” He peeked at Aien, “I’m a goner.”

Aien shook her head nervously, “N-no…”. The wait was killing her. Was he going to show up?

A few minutes later, Eric was blissfully partaking in his first experience of cold coffee, his initial worries forgotten as the cold hit his throat, “YUMM”.

Footsteps neared them, and the two of them turned to the source - A debonair young man with a sky blue tee and pants that highlighted his long, lean legs.

He smirked at them.

~ An hour before the present ~

It had been a restful day at Aoba Johsai, the only out of place event being, Aien getting locked in the restroom - A trauma that had been short-lived as the door was opened almost immediately. Aien had stayed back in the library to finish off an assignment, losing track of the time in the process, when a panting boy ran into the library with an announcement that there was a wild man looking for her.

To Aien's embarrassment, a frantic Eric stood at the gate, his face white as a sheet - A face that had peered into the depths of hell. On seeing Aien, He rushed up to her, shaking her shoulders as he spoke in broken sentences,

"I CAN'T-"

"MAYA ....BROKEN GLASS...."

"KICKED OUT...."

Aien tried to follow his train of speech, but was distracted by his violent grip on her shoulders and began to squirm a little. She noticed that his clothes were shaggier than usual and his hands were trembling as they held onto her.

"Eric...Please Calm down..."

"I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHEN THE INTERVIEW DATE IS AIEN." He yelled releasing her as he did, causing her to stumble backward.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi, along with a few of the volleyball team were passing by and watched the scene in amusement.

Eric continued whisper yelling, clutching at his face in angst. Oblivious to the ground beneath him, his feet caught onto a loose rock, causing him to stumble forward, grabbing onto the only stationary object in front of him – Aien.

Aien felt the wind knock out of her, as her body slammed onto the ground, her head spinning while Eric landed on top of her, rolling over to her side after the collision. Both Iwaizumi and Oikawa reacted immediately, rushing over to reach out to Aien. A disheveled Eric, grabbed their hands and was pulled up by the boys who looked at him in disbelief, while Aien sat up slowly, her head dizzy.

Eric stared at Oikawa, his eyes as wide as plates as he stammered in shock and recognition. 

Iwaizumi proceeded to help Aien to her feet, keeping an eye on the proceedings beside him.

Oikawa raised an eyebrow, "Do I...Know you?"

Eric had tears of joy as he clasped a startled Oikawa's hand, "This is too much for me to handle. THE GODS HAVE LED ME TO YOU."

Aien froze, This can't be happening. 

Oikawa yanked his hand from Eric, "I'm sorry but this is creeping me out."

Iwaizumi stepped forward, "Why are you bothering our school people?"

Eric shook his head, "I work with Aien, We have an interview set with Oikawa." He beamed at Oikawa, whose face was filled with recognition as he turned to Aien who was standing quietly on the side.

Aien turned her face away, her anxiety reaching new levels.

Eric, "Can we start interviewing you now? CAN WE?", His tone was eager.

Oikawa laughed and responded in a haughty tone, “Seriously... You know you can be reported for this.”

Iwaizumi looked disapproving as well, "This is not how this must be done."

Eric looked confused, "I thought Aien spoke to you?"

Oikawa scoffed, "Looks like your colleague is not so honest with you." He took a step closer to Eric, an intimidating expression on his chiseled face, "Now scram, before I lose my patience."

Aien seeing the situation get progressively worse, decided it was time to intervene, and pushed herself in between the two boys, standing protectively in front of Eric, causing no reduction to the intense look Oikawa had on Eric.

“Eric, It’s okay. We will figure this out..” Aien tried to placate the boy, frustrated with Oikawa's attitude.

Oikawa scoffed, a louder one this time, “Are you going to conjure another me?”

Iwaizumi raised his hands to his temples, unable to watch this scene anymore, “There’s another school, Shiratorizawa...Look for a boy named Ushijima, he'd gladly entertain you."

“Iwa-chan. HOW COULD YOU!?” Oikawa wailed, flailing his arms as he turned to Iwaizumi who wore a smug expression.

Eric gasped, "That's right, He represented Japan too...I can run this by Maya." He grabbed his phone and began adding notes on his phones, much to Oikawa's dismay.

Aien sighed in relief, "Eric, I'll meet you at work..."

Oikawa glanced at his watch, “Oh I have to pick Takeru up.”

He turned to Aein and Eric with a determined look on his face, “Meet me at Love-Love café.”

~Back to the present ~

Oikawa smirked as he strolled in, with a younger boy who had tagged along.

Takeru on seeing them had an impassive look. “Who are these, Tooru?”

Oikawa sat on the chair opposite Aien's, pulling her cold coffee towards himself, “Speak.”

Much to her chagrin, he continued to drink from the same straw she had used, She muttered to herself, “Shameless.”

Takeru meanwhile looked at him, “Tooru…Order me a drink too.”

Oikawa smiled, looking meaningfully at Eric, “Sure.”

Eric nodded immediately, ordering another drink. Aien was now glaring at Oikawa, “We really don’t need to be treated this_"

But, Eric covered her mouth with his hand, “It’s fine. I’m okay with this.”

Oikawa’s eyes narrowed, not moving from Aien’s, “If you want something from me, I need to be treated like a King.”

Eric nods, “ANYTHING. WE WILL DO ANYTHING.”

Aien bit her lip, defiant, "Oikawa-san, I approached you for this interview. And you said you want something in return." She felt her pulse quicken, "I have nothing to offer...nothing that would interest you."

Oikawa smirked, "I just came here because I find this situation amusing."

Aien, "You find my pain amusing?"

Eric looked back and forth between the two, trying to get a word in between.

~SLUUUUUUUUUURP~

Takeru causally took a long sip, watching the drama in front of him, expressionless. 

Aien flushed, "I'm sorry...You shouldn't have to listen to this."

Oikawa leaned forward, "And I should?"

Eric interrupted, "So...You came here to tell us that you won't let us interview you?"

Oikawa nodded, "Unless Aien here can come up with something that she can do for me in return."

Aien was beside herself with rage, "Eric...I really can not comprehend what he wa_"

Eric grabbed Aien's hands in his, causing Oikawa to glare at the motion, "Aien, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE." His black eyes had the look of a deer caught in the headlights, as he pleaded, " Please just think of what he'd want...Please..."

Oikawa tapped his hands on the table, interrupting the two of them, "I thought Aien was a person who cared for her friends." He felt an irritation that he couldn't place, an irritation that had him want to speak brashly. 

Aien pulled her hands away from Eric, and spoke in a quiet voice, "I'll do my best." 

Oikawa smirked, satisfied. Takeru rolled his eyes, "First with that tall boy with hat hair, Now with this girl." He was referring to the incident that had delayed their visit to the cafe, an encounter with a certain angry setter from Karsuno who had been skulking around the Junior Volleyball League.

The four of them stepped out of the cafe, Aien was deep in thought as she came to terms with the fact that the interview was back on the table if she...

She gave Oikawa a quick peek _If she sold her soul to this....devil-like person._

Oikawa had noticed the look and grabbed Aien’s arm, his eyes were cold, “I didn’t think you’d be the type who’d talk back to me.”

Aien defiantly stared back, straining her neck, as she looked into his eyes, “You can't always do as you please.”

“I sense some hostility", He stepped closer, his voice softer but dangerous. 

Aien flushed, “ I…” She stopped…He was too close again.

Eric who had turned back on to speak to Aien froze at the scene, Takeru placed his hands over his own eyes, peeking through his fingers.

Oikawa continued, “You ran away that time too.” His gaze was intense as he leaned closer,

Aien had now lost her train of thought. 

“Was that letter just…Talk?”

Aien froze, finally speaking, “…..You’re hurting my arm..” Her eyes began to tear up at the pain. 

It was probably the look in Aien's eyes - a mixture of horror and fright that had time unfreeze as Oikawa released his grip on Aien’s arm. His grip had tightened, into an iron-like hold as he spoke to her, It was a fit of anger he didn't understand, “I got carried away. I’m sorry.”

Aien rubbed her wrists, and bowed not meeting their gazes, “I have to go.” She sped off, not looking back.

Eric turned to Oikawa, stepping back in fear at the icy expression, “I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING !!!! BYE!!!!” He took off, slipping down the road, multiple times before disappearing from their line of sight...

Oikawa wondered to himself, "Why am I so angry...". He shrugged and began to head out, whistling to himself.

Takeru looked at his whistling uncle and stated “So that’s your new girlfriend. “

“Oh Takeru chan”

“I’m almost her height.”

Oikawa laughed, “She’s a little short.”

“Whats an itenmiwew?”

“Interview?” He sighed, running his hands through his hair, “Something I’m tired of giving.” He patted Takeru's head, “ You will give them too...one day."

“I saw you go all close up with her.” Takeru used his hands to mimic two faces, pecking at each other.

Oikawa coughed, “You must forget this.”

“NEVER.” 

Oikawa muttered to himself, "What am I doing...?" He couldn't shake off the fear that had been visible in her eyes, Had he overstepped his bounds again.

"Takeru-chan, I will allow you to call me Tooru for a week." He decided to compromise.

"I do that anyway."

"I will take you for a movie at the weekend."

"Popcorn?"

"Cheese."

"Double Cheese."

Oikawa sighed, "So demanding, Done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys,
> 
> Every week takes so much out of me, But I love writing so I try not to miss my deadlines TvT. Also, this is from that episode where Tobio confronts Oikawa. LOL
> 
> Have a fire week y'all...Imma go doze  
> Ly  
> Hazel


	20. An eye for an eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aien and her penchant for trouble...

Aien yawned as she stretched out on the bamboo chair that she was seated in. It had been her corner of solace, to rush to the library during her break hours and work on her assignments without having anyone taunt her. As someone who shied away from confrontation, this had become her sanctuary. A chair slammed into place as a boy took his place, his eyes narrowed as he fiercely pulled out a book, ignoring her presence.

This had been a regular happening. Kentarou Kyoutani a.ka Mad Dog, the school's most feared delinquent would spend his breaks in the library too, his nose deep into a novel; Quite the terrifying badass. He'd never acknowledge her presence, choosing to spend the hour in absolute silence and it had been through that silence, that a bond had been forged.

A few days had passed since Aien's encounter with Oikawa and all she had procured in that time was a list of items that Oikawa was fond of, ranging from his most favored color to the brand of shoes he purchased to even the hair products he used. This top-secret data had been gathered with a lot of unintentional help from Oikawa's fan pages and Kindaichi's observational skills which had turned into a borderline obsession that was moderately curbed after a few snide remarks from Kunimi.

“Pathetic.” Mad Dog commented under his breath, his eyebrows crinkling, which enhanced his predatory features all the more. 

“…I know…” Aien agreed, striking off extra-terrestrial merchandise, she wasn’t buying him anything expensive because her salary from work would barely cover a few meals.

Mad dog glared at her, “Bold of you to assume I was talking to you.” The hood of his jacket gave him a more menacing look as his yellowish eyes glowered at her.

Aien shook her head, “Ah haha”, Scratching the nape of her neck sheepishly. This had been the first sentence they had spoken to each other after their days of keeping each other company.

She looked over curiously at the book he was reading, but he was careful to keep the title hidden.

He raised an eyebrow, “Do you need something?”

She coughed, “No…I…I was just curious, um...Because....Why aren’t you practicing with the volleyball team?”. It was a question that had plagued her ever since she had discovered that he used to be a member of the Aoba Johsai team.

He didn’t respond for a long time, and Aien had given up on expecting an answer when he finally spoke in a gruff voice, “ I don’t practice with the team .....Yet…”

Aien was surprised, “Oh but shouldn't you be there? The match is so near now...".

He closed his book, "Just because I don't practice with them, doesn't mean I don't practice at all..."

"I...I guess so..."

They sat in silence for a few moments, Aien's aura of awkwardness was back. She fidgeted with her satchel, _Am I supposed to keep talking?_

She peeked at him and sure enough, his gaze was fixed on her.

She flinched, "Haha...So...Do you like um...V..Volleyball?" She cursed mentally, _Seriously out of all the questions..._

“So many questions.” His intensity was back, He stood up, “I’m leaving.”

Aien flushed, “I’m so sorry…I shouldn’t have asked so many questions…”. She grabbed her bag, gathering all her papers, flustered, _What do people do to placate someone..._ “FOOD! I’ll buy you something from uh...the canteen as an apology!”

He fell silent, before turning to face her, his coal-like eyes had softened, albeit not very noticeably, “You need to…” He broke off, “ Nevermind…” and began to head out.

Aien rushed after him, and in the process, her satchel burst open, spilling all its contents on the floor, “Ittai…” She dropped to her feet, arranging the papers into her files once again.

Mad Dog sighed, stopping in his tracks, and glowering at the other students that passed by them, watching the duo in curiosity.

At the canteen queue, Mad dog was jittery and was constantly flinching at every contact but he had nothing to worry about, the crowd was apprehensive of his dark demeanor and had given him a wide berth, some even exiting the line to make way for him.

Aien thought to herself, _I don’t think he's been to the canteen before._

She smiled, they were selling pork at the canteen today, unaware of the number of eyes watching her, She pointed at the steaming pork buns, “Yes?”

He shrugged, and pulled his wallet out, his tone gruff, “Two pork buns.”

Aien began to protest, “I said I’d pay.”

He handed her the pork bun, “Just stay out of trouble.”

But those words were spoken too soon, as towering figures bumped harshly into the two of them. While Mad dog hadn’t been shaken in the least, Aien tumbled backward, the pork bun falling from her hand.

Mad Dog reacted instinctively and snatched the pork bun in a single grab, his form on point. 

He turned towards her, “Are you okay?”

He ignored the snickering boys who were still watching them, the tallest of the group, who wore the Aoba Johsai colors for the soccer team, burst out, wiping tears of laughter in his eyes, “Am I seeing things, or has Mad Dog finally picked himself a mate?”.

More laughter followed that “Cap’n looks like we touched a nerve.”

Mad dog growled, "I'll break your face...Piece of trash Captain."

The taller boy's expression darkened, "You still haven't learned your lesson from last year heh Mad Dog."

Aien was pale, her heart beating fast as she considered her getaway options. The canteen door was nearest to her from where she stood but she’d have to run past throngs of onlookers, It was worth a try.

Aien nodded, her words tumbling over one another as she spoke quickly, “Let…Let’s leave the canteen…We can eat outside.”

Mad Dog was still facing her, his yellow eyes narrowed, "You go."

She urged, “You can't get into trouble…Let’s go..”

The boys of the soccer team gave each other secretive looks before forming an unbreakable array around the two of them, The tallest boy walked around in the interior of the circle, his face though smiling was clearly a farce to hide the turmoil in his mind, “Heard you insulted my little sister in the library the other day...eh Mad Dog…What makes you think I’d let you and your girl leave...scot-free.”

Aien stiffened in realization as she recalled how Senti had been livid with rage at Mad Dog, a few days ago at the library.

He walked up to Aien, “The names Jayden." After scrutinizing her upfront for a bit, " Well…I see why everyone’s been hitting on you…” He winked, “When you’re done messing around with the volleyball team, You’re more than welcome to reach out to my boys.” It was obvious the vulgarity in his words, and the room that had been buzzing with whispers fell to a standstill. 

CRUNCH

Until it was broken by the sound of bone crashing into bone. Jayden fell backward, blood spurting from his nose. Mad Dog despite being much shorter than the soccer team Captain had an intensity that was several times larger, he spat the words out, “Apologise. Now.”

The circle broke as the boys rushed in to help their captain who was bleeding from the nose, Yet, he laughed hysterically pushing the boys away, and wiping the blood on his sleeve, “This is going to be fun.” And with that, he pounced at Mad dog, the two boys rolling on the ground as they began to grapple with the other.

All Aien saw in front of her were flashes of punches and yells, and everything that followed was a blur, she felt tears form in her eyes as she realized how helpless she was. Clenching her fists, she felt the blankness in her mind expand as she dealt with the internal hate that she felt towards herself.

CRUNCH.

The canteen was buzzing with life once again as people moved out of the way as the boys crashed into chairs, landing several punches. Jayden was stronger than Mad Dog yet what Mad Dog lacked in physique he made up in tenacity, ducking several blows.

The canteen representatives were beside themselves in shock as they rushed to bring the team coaches who could break the fight up.

CRACK

Mad Dog spat blood onto the floor, the deafening crack was from an uppercut jab that had connected with his jaw.

"Is that all you got?" His chest was heaving.

A few of the Soccer team boys now stepped in, grabbing Mad Dog by his arms, securing him in place, "A wild dog must be tamed."

Aien had moved back during the fight, unsure of what to do, and the crowd had forgotten her in its excitement. Despite the crippling fear, she couldn’t abandon him …not when he had done this to help her, but her feet were frozen.

Mad Dog struggled in the boys' grasps, using his feet to attack them, but he was now overpowered. 

_This is that moment when the female lead would step in and help the boy who's being beaten up…_

Jayden smirked," I'm sure you can live with a broken rib or two."

_But I can't find the energy to move…I’m scared…I’m scared..._

Jayden's fist connected with Mad Dog's chest and the boy coughed up blood.

_I’M SCARED._

Mad dog slammed his head onto the other boy's face, he was a sight to behold.

Jayden laughed, holding his forehead as he tried to balance himself, "You seriously have a death wish don't you?", With a swift upper kick, his leg connected with the latter's jaw. More Blood.

"PLEASE STOP." Aien cried out, her voice finally finding itself. She dragged herself into the fray, her body quivering. "Stop...it.."

Jayden grabbed her arm, a glint in his eyes as an idea formed in his mind, "I'll let him go if you land a punch on him too."

Mad Dog's body was now limp in the soccer team's arms, it was only because they held him up, that his body stayed horizontal, yet the intensity in his eyes hadn't reduced in the least as he spat out, "You fool..."

Aien yanked her hand from his hold, but to no avail, and in a moment of frustration, kicked out at his kneecap making him drop her arm as he winced.

Aien's eyes scanned the room, _Was there anyone who could help stop this fight.… Somebody…anybody…_

"Let him go." She demanded, moving backward from Jayden who's face looked almost inhuman.

Jayden who had recovered from the kick to his kneecap, grabbed Aien's arm, the grip crushing her tiny wrist as he spoke, in an amused tone, "If anyone asks why I hit you, Let's just say it was self-defense." 

Mad Dog's energy seemed to have revived itself as he began to struggle violently almost breaking free from their hold.

But Jayden never got a chance to raise his arm or land a hit on Aien, as another arm pulled Aien away from him. Aien's face collided with warmth and a solid chest, and a voice that was deadly calm yet laced with a chilling blend to it spoke out, "Well, Well, what's going on here? Hmm?”

Mad Dog had frozen on seeing the smiling face, yet the smile was more hostile than friendly.

The soccer team boys dropped Mad Dog to the floor as they moved away from him. It was either the overwhelming sense of hostility behind the smile on Oikawa's face as he calmly moved Aien to a side and grabbed onto Mad Dog's collar, pulling the boy up to his feet, “I asked, Why a member of my team was being beaten up? Jayden.” And with a slight tilt in Aien's direction, "And a girl?"

Mad Dog spoke up, “He needs to apologize to her.”

Oikawa still had a creepy smile on his face as he turned to the Soccer Team, “Then after you apologize, I will be leaving this scene with Kyou-chan…Before this gets any worse.” To anyone's keen eye, his twitching fingers were evidence of the fact that despite his facade to maintain his image that he was livid with rage. 

Jayden grinned, calming down slightly, “Model Student ain't ya…Keep ya, men, under control…else we might hurt them."

Mad Dog was seething, his right eye bruised from the punches, "Apologise to Aien."

"Go now! Follow your captain like a good obedient boy," He waved his hands dismissively as he turned to walk away. "Thanks, _Tooru_." He meant the last word as a sarcastic gibe.

Oikawa smirked, as his smile widened, “Oya. Iwa-chan forgive me!“ Oikawa raised his arm and in a split second, slammed his fist into Jayden's head.

The chaos of the situation had returned, and the crowd in the canteen had doubled. A few of the soccer team boys on seeing this joined in, furious that their captain had been hit and the onslaught worsened.

Mad Dog had scoffed after Oikawa’s announcement and had joined in, a smile on his blood-stained face as he rammed his knuckles into a boy's face, a satisfying crunch filling his ears. Yet, the two boys together were not enough to take on the six towering boys.

Kairi who had rushed to the front of the crowd was almost in tears as she cried out, “Oikawa-san please no…”

Aien had returned to her original form of numbness, the adrenaline rush from her confrontation had vanished and she was now back to her helpless self. Her wrist stung from the few seconds she had spent in the fray, leaving in its place, a deep red mark that would most definitely leave a bruise.

Oikawa winced as Jayden landed a kick on his bandaged leg, "Oh so sorry did that hurt?" Jayden sneered, slamming Oikawa to the ground in his moment of weakness.

A few of the volleyball team members rushed into the canteen, Iwaizumi and Yahaba leading the group as they pushed through the throngs of people.

“OIKAWA.” Iwaizumi's voice thundered through the hall.

It was a goosebump worthy moment, Almost borderline magical how the two boys froze mid-fight, immediately breaking away from the clutches of the other boys as they straightened up. Mad dog fixed his gaze onto the floor while Oikawa stood up, whistling softly to himself. Fresh bruises were visible on his pale face and his white knee bandage had a fresh stain of blood on it.

He shuffled his feet, not making eye contact as Iwaizumi demonically stepped into the fray. Jayden held his boys back with a warning look, his face was just as bad as Mad Dog's, the only difference being that both his eyes were puffier.

The boys at the school had an irrational fear when it came to Iwaizumi, and had shrunk back immediately. Yahaba grabbed Mad Dog, his face white with rage.

Kairi used this time to rush to Oikawa’s side using her handkerchief to dab at the places that he'd been hit.

Iwaizumi in a stiff voice, ignoring Kairi, “Are you trying to get our team suspended?”

Kairi who was holding onto Oikawa’s arm, “It was not his fault.”

Iwaizumi turned to her and opened his mouth to say something.

But Oikawa knew his friend's short temper, and quickly removed his hand from her hold, “Iwa-chan, You know I wouldn't start this without a reason.”

Yahaba on the other hand, wiped the blood from Mad Dog's face, his silence speaking the words he couldn't form.

Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa by the front of his shirt, "Our team is in trouble." Though his face was contorted in anger, his voice had a layer of understanding. He wasn't questioning the reason Oikawa had fought rather he was reminding him that his actions had consequences that could affect the whole team.

And sure enough, in the next few minutes, the boys were gathered up and sent to the Principals office. And the rest of the canteen dispersed to their respective classes.

Aien had rushed out of the room before this had happened, her breathing heavy and her face stained with tears.

_I have to do something to stop them from getting into trouble_

* * *

Aien stood in front of the maple door of the principal's office and could hear his deep voice resonate as he berated the boys for the fight in the canteen. Time had passed since the fight and the girl still hadn't recovered her courage but despite her trembling knees, she was determined to help them in whatever way she could. Mentally she had envisioned herself stepping in to break the fight with a few biting remarks and probably a well landed punch, but in reality, all she had done was stand on the sidelines and watch in horror as both Mad Dog and Oikawa were pummelled by the unfair number of the soccer team. In fact, Her stepping in had only made things worse. 

“Oikawa I am disappointed with you. As the captain of your team, you should have stopped the fight.”

Jayden scoffed, his voice was hoarse from all the yelling," He hit me first."

It was this voice that gave Aien the incentive she needed to knock on the door. She raised the brass knocker and let it drop gently. 

On entering the room, the group of boys from the canteen, along with Mad dog and Oikawa turned to her in surprise. Aien felt her knees turn to jelly once again and almost tripped as she entered the room. The boys were a mess, with tousled hair, fresh bruises, ruffled uniforms…

_Was I the reason for all this…_

Mad Dog shifted on seeing Aien walk in, ignoring the rest of the boys as he stepped in her path, his eyes ablaze, a slight limp in his stride, “Don’t be stupid.” He had taken the worst of the fight, having been overpowered by the sheer number, it had been an unfair advantage.

Aien gave him a comforting smile, before moving away from him and speaking directly to the man in charge, “ Principal Akihiko, I take responsibility for the fight for the volleyball team.” She bowed, “ Kyoutani was trying to help me…”

Mad Dog was furious, “Don’t be st_

Oikawa grabbed the back of Mad dog’s shirt, pulling him back into their initial disciplinary line, and whispered in an angry tone, “You better have a good explanation for what’s happening.”

Mad Dog was heaving, his fatigue from the series of punches was now showing, he glared at the ground in front of him, his crusty knuckles clenched.

"I...I...He was not the one who started the fight, Principal Akihiko." She kept her head bowed, her heart beating furiously. 

Akihiko was silent, watching the scene gravely, “ Are you saying he stepped in for you?"

Aien, her head still bowed, nodded, “So…So that’s why…Please excuse Oikawa-san and his team, I will take up their punishment... on their behalf…Please.”

Jayden laughed, the astonishment visible on his face as he muttered, “Hoes, I tell you.”

Mad Dog made a movement but Oikawa had a vice-like grip on the former’s collar, and spoke in a clear voice, “Say Jayden, Are you really sure you can handle the football team’s captaincy with your falling grades?” He smiled innocently, “Asking because I care.”

That shut Jayden up. Aoba Johsai had strict rules about staying in a certain grade bracket and not a lot of people were aware of Jayden’s grades as the football coach had pulled strings to have him stay on in the team

Meanwhile, the Principal cleared his throat, “Aien, I appreciate you trying to take the blame for the team but what they did has broken several disciplinary rules, I can't overlook this." He tapped his fingers on the desk, "But, Because this is a matter of pride for our school, I will lessen the punishment."

Oikawa was watching Aien's bent figure with curiosity," What started this fight?"

Mad Dog had his gaze fixed on a spot on the floor and didn’t budge with the question.

"One week, We won’t entertain any interschool matches.” Principal Akihiko spoke in a grim voice, "And that goes for both the teams."

That was enough to snap Oikawa back to reality and he began to protest, “But we have practice matches fixed for each day of_”

“My word is final, Oikawa. And Jayden, a few words with you...on your grades.”

Aien walked out with the throng of boys, The soccer team stayed on outside of the office, glaring at their retreating backs.

Mad Dog turned to Aien, and snapped, pointing at her bruised wrist, “I told you not to act stupid. This was not your fault.”

Aien sighed, “But it was.”

“Why did this fight start?” Oikawa repeated his question, his voice cold. The harsh reality of a wasted week before their matches with KSH and SHZ was a grim reminder that they were in a deep mess.

Mad dog scoffed, speaking back to Oikawa, “Learn to clean up your own messes instead of having other people pick it up.” And with his gaze fixed elsewhere, “And you need to stop being so nice to everyone.” His last sentence had been directed to Aien.

With that, he stormed off.

Aien fiddled with her sweater sleeves, and spoke up in a timid voice, “He stepped in to help me…with some stuff.”

“A fistfight for some help?” Oikawa stated coldly, the bruise on his face was less evident in the light.

Aien bit her lip, “I…Jayden…He said some…some stuff…” She trailed off, “Your…Your bruises…they look…painful.”

He sighed, “Mad dog’s not the kind to care for others…”, He gave Aien an odd look, “But I guess, you have a way of melting all our hearts don’t you?”.

Flabbergasted, “HUH?”

“Did I get you into trouble?” Oikawa touched his bruise gingerly, “What Mad Dog said…”

Aien was silent, “I…I don’t know…Oikawa-san…”

He shook his head and began to walk away, his white bandage was now a fresh red.

Aien rushed after him, "Oikawa-san! Your legs…Please! Let me change the bandages at least…I…”

He stopped, looking at his feet, “Ah…The wound opened up…” He smiled at her, “I’ll go to the infirmary.” He patted her head, “You’re a magnet for trouble.”

“Oikawa-san. I didn’t mean to get your team in tr_”

He waved his hands, “It's in the past.”

“I know but I feel…Is there something I can do…”

He glanced at her wrist, almost asking for permission before he gently held her wrist in his hand, "Matron is not going to be happy." His hair covered his eyes as he spoke in a quieter voice, "I'm sorry if all this is happening because of me." Although he had no idea of the torment Aien was going through, Mad Dog's words had sent a wave of doubt and worry in his mind; A feeling he was unable to place. A feeling that had his well-trained mind twisted into knots because Oikawa had never cared for anyone who was not a part of his team... 

Aien felt the blood rush into her face as she pulled her wrist back, " I don't know what to say."

Oikawa laughed before stopping mid-laugh, an odd look on his face, as a sudden thought crossed his mind, “I've been meaning to ask you...”

Her hazel eyes met his, "Yes...?"

Oikawa, “If the interview's still on the table...I am willing to give it.” He grabbed her shoulders, “In turn I want you to…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I can't believe I have 20 chapters out. I still remember starting this story out as a joke between a friend and then turning it into a whole story.
> 
> Thank you for all the support!  
> Hugs  
> Hazel <3


	21. Mind Over Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week before Tobio sets off for the Tokyo Summer Camp, Aien finds herself stuck between Oikawa and Tobio's enmity.

Aien lay on her back, her gaze centered on the star-speckled ceiling of the older Kageyama sibling's room, lost in a world of her own making. The room hadn't been lived in for a long time since Miwa Kageyama had moved out to start her own life in the city as a makeup artist and had refused to visit her parents until she made a breakthrough in her life, yet the room still had traces of her existence. The stars had long lost their glow and were now just ordinary plastic polygonal stickers that stuck to the panelboards of the roof. At the ridge of the sharpest corner of the room, sat a brown spider weaving its web with utmost concentration. The spider took breaks from its house construction to dangle from its silky web and admire its handiwork.

*KNOCK*

Aien didn't budge, comfortable in her slug position, her arms spread out, "Come in." She called out in a lazy tone.

Tobio entered her room after a few more knocks and sank at the foot of her bed in silence, decked in a white jersey and blue shorts, his face contorted into a loop of utmost introspection.

Aien, still in the same position, "Shouldn't you be practicing?"

Tobio grunted, "I should." He sat with his scraped knees tucked into his body, which looked uncomfortable for the tall gangly boy. In a muffled voice, he retorted, "Shouldn't you be working on your article?"

Those words were enough for the girl to shift from slug mode into frantic mode, "Ah..Ah...um...uh..."

The loud ringing of a phone broke the variety of awkward ah's from Aien. Tobio grabbed the ringing phone, picking it up with a, "Yes?". After a moment, "Aien. It's for you."

Aien didn't comment on his rhetorical response, "Hi?"

"Aien, It's Akaashi."

Aien sat up, her hair a mess, "OH! Akaashi !"

Tobio frowned as he muttered to himself, "I think I know an Akaashi too."

"IT'S BOKUTO ALSO. I'M HERE TOO."

Aien moved the phone away from her ears as the boy yelled out through the phone, "Hi Bokuto-san."

Tobio flinched wondering why these names seemed so familiar. He sat back down on the floor, stretching his feet out, tapping his fingertips on the floorboards of her room.

"LET'S SWITCH TO VIDEO CALL!!! WAIT." And a familiar ping of an incoming video request lit up her screen. Aien flinched, quickly adjusting her hair, before hitting the response button.

Bokuto's face filled up the screen as he bellowed, "Oh my, I CAN SEEE YOU AIEEEEEEEN."

Tobio was now absolutely curious and edged closer to Aien, trying to peep into her phone.

"Bokuto-san, I really need to talk to Aien now." And with that, Akaashi's face was back on screen, as impassive as ever. "Aien, I called because I heard you've been having issues with the interview."

Aien sighed, "That was then...I think I've managed to secure a deal now..." 

Tobio was still hovering near Aien's bed as he tried to get a glimpse of the boy on her phone.

Akaashi nodded, "Deal? I just wanted to check in-"

Bokuto had grabbed the phone, "Aien. Is there a boy with you now?? We heard his voice when we called you." He giggled, "AIEN HAS A BOYFRIEND."

Both Aien and Tobio turned to each other at the same moment, mortified, and exclaimed at the same moment, "NO."

Aien turned the camera to Tobio, who glared at the screen that had only Bokuto's face on it. "Oh...It's you."

"OYA? Akaashi come see this. It's TOBIO FROM THE CROWS SCHOOL!" There was the sound of static as the phone was passed onto Akaashi, and the boy, stiffly commented, "Yes, It's Tobio."

Tobio moved away from the camera, embarrassed as he recalled how they hadn't won a single match during the weekend training camp in Tokyo. "Bokuto-san and Akaashi-san."

Bokuto howled through the phone, his face pink with excitement, "OMG TOBIO AND AIEN ARE DATING? WHAT? I REALLY. I DID NOT THINK TOBIO WOULD BE-

Aien turned the camera to herself, wide-eyed and annoyed, "BOKUTO-SAN!"

An air of bewilderment surrounded his person at her raised voice, he spoke matching her intensity, "AIEN?"

She pulled Tobio closer to the camera, "WE'RE COUSINS!". She poked Tobio's face,"WE EVEN LOOK SIMILAR."

Tobio, aghast and livid at being poked at without consent, pulled away from Aien. "Why do you even know these people?"

After the initial introductions and excitement of having mutual friends had abated, Akaashi changed the subject to the purpose of his call, "What was the deal he made?"

Aien pursed her lips, "It's not as bad as I thought..."

Bokuto squeezed his face into the frame, his face pressed up against Akaashi's, "I knew fancy hair boy was bad news. WHAT IS HE MAKING YOU DO?"

Tobio looked bored with the conversation, "Who is this 'he'?"

The attack was from both directions, Aien smiled awkwardly, "I just have to um... help him with some...er... chores." Turning to Tobio, "Oh it's just a senior from my school." A part of her felt the guilt of hiding the truth from her cousin but she was aware from the tales Tobio had told her that the two boys didn't exactly have a good relationship with each other.

_Anyway, this is just for the interview and then I will have nothing to do with him ever again..._

"WE HAVE MUTUAL FRIENDS NOW. WE SHOULD TOTALLY MEET UP AS A GROUP AND GO TREKKING!!" Bokuto screamed his train of thought on a different tangent. and his wild yellow eyes looked larger than usual on the screen.

Akaashi called out from behind him, "Bokuto-san, let's get back to practice. And Aien, let me know if you need help with the phraseology for the interview."

At the mention of practice, Bokuto's face turned into his million-dollar smile, " HEY HEY HEY, SEE YOU THIS WEEKEND TOBIO AT THE SUMMMERRR CAMPPPPP. CAN'T WAIT TO PLAY AGAINST YOU AND CHIBII!! AND GET AIEEEN WITH YOU."

The closure of the call had the serenity of the Kageyama house return, Tobio started to leave her room, mumbling something about practice. He paused at her door, "A senior from your school?"

Aien flushed, not meeting his eyes,"Uh yes...Some Senior."

"Why would you interview a random senior?", He pressed.

It was rare to see Tobio use his prodigious brains for anything apart from volleyball, and Aien cursed mentally that of all the things he could have chosen to think about, he chose this.

"Well...He's not random...He's uh...OH, Would you look at the time? Time for a sibling hug!!" She hopped off her bed, knowing exactly the right buttons to press to embarrass Tobio and in turn, get him to drop the conversation.

"...", Tobio sped out of the room, not even pausing to check if she was actually chasing after him, "AHHHHHHHH, WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER?"

Aien slammed her head into her pillow after Tobio's departure, "AFTER THIS INTERVIEW...I WILL BE A BETTER PERSON, TOBIO."

* * *

~A day later at the Aoba Johsai Barracks~

Oikawa stood with his arms behind his back, in front of his team, expectant eyes staring back at their captain. Mad Dog was present too, his deep-set eyes watching Oikawa very closely. He had been admitted to regular practices after a strict warning and the possibility of expulsion if he stirred up trouble. The purplish-blue bruises on his face stood fresh and painful on his tanned face, yet it didn't look out of place on his face, given that he had a reputation of being a brutal warrior. Oikawa ignored the glare and took in a deep breath, the wounds on his own face were equally visible from his punch-off with Jayden's and his boys. Matron hadn't gone easy on him, reprimanding him for an hour straight and going as far as to tell him that his leg would eventually be amputated; an announcement that sent Oikawa into a series of uncontrollable tremors. His leg had to be rebandaged and he was on mild painkillers (unbeknownst to Matron) to combat the numbing pain that rushed through his legs every time he walked. 

He cleared his throat, “We won't have any practice matches with the neighboring schools this week.” 

The boys groaned in response, “It’s that asshole Jayden’s fault.” A few murmurs of agreement filled the room, Yahaba slammed his palm onto his thigh, "We should show them what they get for messing with our team."

The coach stepped in, holding his temples as he spoke curtly, “But, We will double our practice internally. No more breaks on Mondays.” He turned to Oikawa, making it very obvious that his next words were for the boy alone, “I don’t want to see any of my boys involving themselves in any situation that will lead to a standoff again.”

Oikawa laughed sheepishly, "Yes Yes, we should all focus on the game."

After a brutal practice session that stretched on into the early hours of the night, the boys finally stepped into their changing rooms, exhausted.

Iwaizumi walked up to Oikawa, who had changed into his school uniform and was now zipping shut his carry bag, “We have two weeks before the match."

"Hmm Mm."

Iwaizumi hesitated, "Your knee..."

"I will handle that."

Iwaizumi watched as his friend tightened the lace on his sneakers, his feet tapping - always a sign that Iwaizumi wanted to say something. 

He finally spoke up,"Oikawa. Are you still as determined as you were at the start of this year?"

Oikawa’s eyes had a flash of blinding rage at those words, as he grabbed Iwaizumi’s collar, the force pushing Iwaizumi against his locker, “Are you doubting my resolve for Volleyball?”

Iwaizumi remained calm, “Your mind is not on the game.”

Sparks flew in the browns of his eyes as he snarled, "Do you really think that I'm so weak that I would give up on my team...just because I have a lot on my plate."

Iwaizumi didnt react to the outburst, "You keep forgetting that you don't have to shoulder all this on your own."

Oikawa was trembling in rage, and in a flash, he dropped his friend's collar, "I thought you of all people know that I won't let anything spoil my game." With those words, he grabbed his carry bag, and swung it onto his shoulder, "And if you'll excuse me, I have someone waiting outside for me."

Aien tapped her feet as she waited patiently outside the volleyball room. She could hear raised voices but what was being spoken was beyond her. It was pretty late, around eight in the evening and the street lights were on, But the reason she was here was...well, currently inside the volleyball room.

“THEN DON’T COME BACK.” A voice shouted out behind Oikawa as he opened the doors to the volleyball room.

He didn’t respond, shutting the door behind him. “Sorry, Practice stretched on. You ready?”

She nodded, wordlessly. A quick glance at his flushed face told her that he’d been the one involved in the heated argument.

“It’s not too far from the school... _Lil Tykes Volleyball Classroom_ ” He spoke, getting down to business, his hands tucked into his pockets and his muffler wrapped around his neck.

Aien peeked at the muffler, it was the same one he had given her many nights ago.

“Practise at Aoba Johsai doesn't usually drag on this late...” He appraised her from the corner of his eye, “I know it's late for you, so I’ll drop you back home today.”

Aien focused her eyes on the ground, “Will you keep your promise...about the interview?”

Oikawa paused, his face still flushed from the fight, “Do you want to interview me that bad?”

Aien’s eyes widened, “I told you…It’s for my_

He continued walking, “I know. Forget I said anything .”

“I-

They walked up to an older building, which looked more like a training hall, “That’s where he practices... I drop by when I'm free but since practice has doubled up for us...” He winced, clutching at his knee as a sharp pain shot through his leg. The effects of the painkillers were wearing off.

Aien grabbed at his arm, "Oikawa-san I-"

He pushed her hand away, standing back up, "I'm fine. Remember the route we took. You'll be using it from now onwards."

Aien nodded, startled by his quick change of subject and his snappy tone. Aien had mentally mapped out the route so she wouldn’t get lost and continued to follow him. But more than the unknown routes that she was mapping out, it was Oikawa's demeanor that had her enraptured. It was apparent that there was something weighing on his mind, and though he stayed his usual self, she didn't miss the fluctuations of emotions in his face as he walked alongside her, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. They walked from the Junior Volleyball League hall onto the path that led to Oikawa's sister place. 

"Oikawa-san...um...Did something happen?" She finally asked him, kicking at a pebble on the ground.

He laughed," Am I that obvious?"

"You're...not being you." She commented quietly. 

He smiled mysteriously, his brown eyes, cold and intellectual, "Hmm...Guess it's just one of those days where you don't want to be you."

Aien fiddled with the sleeves of her sweater as she racked her brains for a response, " Um...When...When I feel that way...Um, I read...", She was already dreading where this conversation was going, "Books." She finished awkwardly.

Oikawa chuckled, not commenting on her lack of conversation skills, "I should try this...It's been a while."

Aien was grateful that he hadn't mocked her, but she felt sad that she wasn't able to cheer him up.

The rest of their walk was silent, and the two had unconsciously ended up walking closer during the duration of their walk.

Oikawa stopped in front of a plain house with an enormous gate, "This is where he stays. Get him home before 6 every day." 

Aien nodded, "OK...I will."

He turned to her, an overpowering intensity in his eyes, “I'm trusting you with something that means the world to me...Apart from volleyball.”

Aien stumbled backward, anxiety filling her heart, “You're scaring me…Maybe this is too much...Maybe you should ask Kairi-"

A pair of hands clasped her shoulder, "Aien."

She looked up at him, color pouring into her cheeks, "Y-yes..."

"You won't mess up." There was only honestly in his clear eyes.

The sound of someone clearing their throat had the two move away from each other.

Takeru watched Aien, impassively, “Sup.”

“uh..Hi…” Aien flinched, she was not good with children.

Oikawa scoffed, “Takeru, this is who will be keeping an eye on you during your matches, SO DON’T YOU DARE SLACK OFF. I WILL KNOW EVERYTHING.”

Aien turned to him apprehensively, “I thought my job was to drop him back home every day.”

Oikawa smiled, “Yes, This was a thought I had right now.”

Aien shook her head, "You want me to watch him play volleyball?"

"Yes, I would have loved to do so, but I am busy." He fluffed his hair, and spoke in a bossy tone, "I want a detailed report submitted to me every day after my practice wraps up and then I shall allow you to ask me two interview questions. Fair deal right?"

Aien glowered at her feet, "This is not one bit fair."

Takeru watched this exchange, “You guys are dating?”

Aien jumped back, “NO. That’s someone else.”

“You’re dating someone else?” Oikawa questioned coldly.

Aien glared at him, “No. You are.”

Oikawa ran his hands through his hair, “hmm…Are you jealous?”

Takeru exclaimed, “He broke up with his girlfriend.”

Aien stared at him in shock, "Wha..."

Oikawa sighed, “Takeru-chan, you're going to be responsible for a lot of misunderstandings.”

The boy ignored his uncle, " Aien onee-san, Thank you for helping me."

Oikawa gasped, "ONEE-SAN?"

Aien was touched at the boy's gratefulness, "It's my pleasure Takeru-chan." She ignored Oikawa's look of astonishment and betrayal, and continued speaking to the younger boy, " I will be seeing you more often from tomorrow."

After bidding farewell to Takeru, the two of them headed to Aien's place. Oikawa turned to Aien, "Thank you for...this."

Aien kept her face forward, "You forced me into this...but I don't mind, Takeru is a sweet boy."

He grinned, " I wasn't going to give an interview out without having you work for it."

Aien couldn't help but smile to herself.

Oikawa noticed the smile, “Why are you smiling?"

“I…I feel happy knowing these little things about you.” Her face glowed as she turned to him, "I always feel I don't understand what's going on in Oikawa-san's mind, but there are these rare moments where you lower your guard...and that makes me happy."

Oikawa’s eyes widened, at the innocence on her face, and his heart began to pound in its skeletal case as he stammered, “What do you mean?”

“You..I mean..You’re so different…outside of school….but with Takeru, you care so much…I-", Aien paused, "I'm rambling, I can't explain what I'm feeling."

Oikawa didn't respond, his gaze fixed on something behind her.

Aien turned back, following his line fo sight, and noticed that he was staring at the nameplate of her house,

“Oikawa-san?”

“What’s your last name?” He questioned, snappily.

“Huh?”

He turned to her, “Aien Kageyama?”

AIen shook her head, “Sugawara…This is my relative's place…I stay here.”

Oikawa stared at the nameplate, his face deep in thought, ” hmm”

"Is something the matter?" She asked curiously, though a part of her guessed the reason for his surprise.

He shook his head, "Well, Do a good job tomorrow Aien."

She waved at him, stepping into the warmth of her house. Tobio opened the door, "I heard someone's voice..."

"Ah..." She turned around nervously, "A friend dropped me back."

Tobio nodded, accepting her lie easily, "Okay."

Aien screamed internally, _Why does this feel like such a dangerous white lie._

* * *

~That Night at Oikawa's place~

Oikawa twitched uncontrollably in his sleep, his fingers clutching at the sheets of his bed. From the tremors that ran through his body to the fresh drop of blood on his lips that was caused by the nervous grinding of his teeth, it was evident that he was having a restless night.

_“Um…I-I’m Tooru Oikawa! And, I LOVE Volleyball!” The young boy exclaimed with passion as he stood up to introduce himself on his first day in Elementary school._

_There was a silence that fell at this announcement, most of the students were not aware of this sport or even interested in it._

_Oikawa’s face fell at the lack of response until a hoarse voice spoke up, slurring slightly,_

_“Iwaizumi Hajime and I iss interesssted in volleyball too.”_

_Oikawa spun around, his brown eyes meeting a pair of angrily narrowed black eyes. He stared at the boy who was an inch taller than him and had his arms crossed over his chest as he stared back, defiantly, challenging the brown-haired with his dark eyes._

_Oikawa felt his face widen into a smile, “Iwa..Iwaiziuimi…”_

_“Iwaizumi.”_

_“Iwaiziumi” He struggled._

_The rest of the class watched this standoff between the two boys._

_“Iwaizumi.” The corner of his lips was crinkling in annoyance._

_“Iwa.” Oikawa finally decided and held his hand out in front of him, “Friends?”_

_Iwaizumi's lip settled into a thin line at the name but after a moment, he stretched his hand out, “Classmates.”_

Oikawa shifted in his sleep, his arms moving over his head.

_“TRASHYKAWA.”_

_“IWA-CHAN DID YOU SEE HOW I SET TODAY?” A young Oikawa yelled out in excitement, as he spun a volleyball on the tips of his fingers._

_“Yes. I was the one you set to." His hair was cropped close to his skin and his shirt was drenched in sweat, "YOU DITCHED CLEANING DUTIES AGAIN.”_

_Oikawa waved his hand, without a care in the world,“Iwa-chaaan, THINK FAST.” He slammed a ball at his friend's face._

_Iwaizumi dropped the mop in his hand and caught the ball, with equally fast reflexes, and enunciated every syllable, “I’ll. end. you.”_

Oikawa arms covered his face, as his brain continued to delve into his older memories, a pained expression on his face. 

_“Father I was selected as the setter for my team.”_

_“Hm.”_

_Young Oikawa shifted his feet, anxiously, “I really enjoy playing volleyball_”_

_“I have a meeting now, Good for you son.”_

_A young Oikawa stared at his father's indifferent expression in dismay._

The dream changed into a flurry of images as Oikawa saw himself frozen in his dream, unable to play volleyball as his arms turned to a pile of sludge. As he looked around him, his whole team seemed to have vanished, leaving him alone in a pile of sludge and the resounding sound of a volleyball hitting the floor. He turned around and watched through a flurry of rain, as Aien laughed arrogantly at him, while she stood beside an equally haughty Ushijima, and they held the nationals cup high up in the sky whilst he lay, paralyzed on the floor.

Oikawa sat up, his chest heaving. It took him a while to calm himself down, and steady his breath.

_Ara…Am I having nightmares…again…_

He turned to his side and saw that Takeru was curled up beside him, his face a calm expression. A pang shot through Oikawa’s heart, as he watched his sleeping nephew, _I won’t let anything harm you._

Oikawa stood up, making sure to not disturb the boy, and entered the kitchen to grab a bottle of water for himself, in an attempt to calm his nerves. The pain in his knee had returned. He grabbed his school bag, pulling out the bottle of painkillers, and popped one into his mouth.

In the dead of the night, the change of tempo of his beating heart seemed overpowering. He paused at a clipped photo of Takeru smiling with his parents as he held onto a muddy volleyball. Oikawa felt a sting of emotion as he recalled how his parents had always been so dismissive about his talent. It had always been just Iwaizumi who had supported him. It had been Iwaizumi who had stood by him when he had finally gathered the courage to move out or that time when he had almost attacked a junior. He leaned against the refrigerator, his eyes closed as his thoughts threatened to engulf him, the bruise on his knee an ugly color. The pain had begun to subside again, becoming almost nonexistent. 

_Iwa-chan...I'm sorry..._

He pulled his phone from his pocket, his heart still in its miry pits. The familiar sign of a notification showed up on his screen and he opened an unread message. There was a curt message from Iwaizumi that had been sent hours ago, " _Take care of that damn knee_." Oikawa smiled, despite his emotions, grateful for Iwaizumi's existence.

He climbed back into his bed, the bed creaking slightly under his weight.

“Tooru…” A sleepy voice mumbled

“Shh, Sleep,” Oikawa whispered, settling into the warmth of his bed.

The boy turned in his sleep, his eyes still closed, and spoke incoherently, “Awake..wh...?’

Oikawa arranged the covers around the boy, “I’ll sleep now…”

“Tooru…iss worry..ss…much..”He mumbled on and then fell silent. He had fallen back to sleep.

Oikawa scoffed, laying back down… _Yes I am worried…I am worried that I can’t do right by my career or the people who are rooting for me…What am I doing with myself…_

A heavyweight landed on his stomach, breaking him from his thoughts, Takeru's leg had stretched out in his sleep,

“Toooruu zzzss…”

Oikawa smiled, closing his eyes, fluffing the sleeping boy's hair, his voice a light whisper, "I will do my best for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI ALL,  
> I notice a lot of people tag their tumblr accounts to their stories, but I actually don't have one. Let's see, I might just get one started.
> 
> Also, I've started working in shifts so my timing is all haywire, Apologies.  
> Thank you gaissss for reading, MUAH
> 
> A very sleepy Hazel <3


	22. Muddles and Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aien following through with the deal she made with Oikawa

Aien stared at the glass encasing with pictures framed of the various teams that had graduated from 'Lil Tykes' and in the forefront of them all was that familiar smirking face. Though young, his brown curls still framed his forehead as he grinned a toothless smile, a golden medal held out in his small hands.

_It's not fair that he's this handsome. IT'S NOT FAIR._

_HE WAS LIKE EIGHT OR NINE IN THAT PICTURE._

She leaned in closer, to read the words that were printed in a bold font, ‘Best setter of the year 2003-2004’.

“Tooru, he won that at me age.” A voice spoke out from behind her.

Aien flinched, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, “Ah, Your age…” She beamed, “Well, you seem to be doing well too.”

He eyed her suspiciously, none of the previous gratitude in his eyes, “Are you uhm, will be telling Tooru about how I play?”

Following the little boy’s broken vocabulary was harder for her than she realized as she thought firmly to herself, It’s not only his volleyball practice that needs work.

She smiled, “I won’t tell him if you mess up.”She shrugged, holding her hand to her lips, a gesture to prove that she'd keep their secret, “I just never saw it.”

He held out his pinky, "Swear it."

She held her pinky against his, "I promise." He grinned at her, "Aien iz kinda cool." He had dropped the honorifics after his first day with her.

This had only been her second day with the boy and she had grown rather fond of him. Unlike his uncle’s shrewd mind, this boy was blessed with an honest one, speaking his mind even if it hurt people in the process. On the other hand, Oikawa had fallen into a routine with Aien, spending almost an hour with her every night, as soon as his practice wrapped up and he'd drop her home too. He stressed what she was to keep an eye out for while watching the boys play, and it had been a learning experience for her, being introduced to this world of volleyball. She had accidentally blurted that she'd like to try playing too, to which Oikawa had surprisingly offered to teach her. There were moments his eyes would droop in exhaustion but he kept his end of the deal, answering the few template questions that Akaashi had helped her prepare, yet Aien knew something was missing…This was not the story she wanted to tell of Oikawa’s…but she didn’t know enough to plot out what she wanted. She had mentally mapped out tales that were inspired by the sparkle in his eyes when he spoke of the sport that he loved, yet the lingering sadness that was sometimes raw on his face. There was so much to Oikawa that Aien was curious to find out about, to unravel bit by bit...All for the sake of her interview, no doubt.

The days had been calm, without much drama, without much angst and Aien felt it in the depths of her heart that something was brewing And her premonition was right. 

A week later, the bad news arrived in the form of a phone call.

“Having to wear a uniform to school is how the concept of mindless drones began,” Aien grumbled to herself as she pulled the lilac blouse over her torso and buttoned the collars of the material. It had a few creases from the hanger it had rested on, a few creases that she had no time to press. She grabbed the brown skirt from her bed and yanked it on, buttoning it at an admirable pace. Just as she was getting to making her face tolerable, her phone began to buzz loudly.

“Who’s calling me at this hour?”Aien thought as she picked up her phone, one hand quickly combing through her knotted hair, “Misaaa! I’m late for school, so I’m leaving you on speakerphone.”

“Aien, Heya girl.” Misaki’s raspy voice sounded strange.

Aien was immediately on guard, “Did something happen?”.

An unidentifiable noise was Misaki’s response before she cleared her throat, “Uh, I’ll make it fast. Your dad’s lawyer paid us a visit. Again.”

There was silence, apart from the low static buzz on the call.

“Aien?”

The girl blinked twice, the comb stuck midway in her tresses, “L-Lawyer…Hann”

“Yeah, You remember the conditions of the will. “ It wasn’t a question from Misaki’s side, “It's been more than a year.” Her voice had softened.

Aien clenched her fists, as she remembered, what her heart had desperately tried to forget, the clauses of the will, her father's parting gift to her. Her father had locked his will into time-based clauses, and as each clause was fulfilled, Aien would be rewarded with an unpredictable assortment of articles from her father's life as well as part of the few financial assets that he had left for her, which did not count for much as they barely scraped through life.

After her fulfillment of the first clause, she'd been given a famous painting- a second-hand version of it done by a local painter, The Portrait of Doctor Félix Rey. Aien had left the painting behind at Misaki's house in one of the brown boxes where the rest of her father's unmarked possessions lay. From everything she thought she knew of her father, he had given her that painting for a reason. But, Even if her father had meant anything by the painting, It was too soon for Aien to dig into the reason.

Misaki continued, in a strained tone, “You don’t have to follow through with his plans. I have spoken to Hann and he agreed that it's your choice what you do with…er…with what he left you.”

Aien kept her voice as steady as she could, despite the whites of her knuckles showing from the pressure of her closed fists, “Y-Yes, I understand… I have until the end of July before the next set of assets are given to me.”

“Yes, Hann wanted to remind you to be there for the sign-off.” Misaki made a guttural sound, and muttered a few indistinct words, “Curses be to your father.”

After the call ended, it seemed ages before Aien snapped out of her daze, staring back at her reflection in the mirror. The familiar hazel tone of her eyes left her with stings of emotions as wisps of images formed in her mind of her father's hazel smiling eyes…

_Oh, Otousan….Why did you leave me…Why did I never know..._

* * *

Aien stood outside the volleyball room patiently, her conventionally bouncy hair mirrored her state of mind and had fallen listless over her shoulder, a few tangles from her interrupted brushing were still visible. The day had gone by in a blur and she had somehow pushed the impending feeling that was awaiting her at the month's end, as her father’s will unraveled around her life. It had been a while since she had felt this pressing sadness, it wasn’t like the feeling had ever vanished, it was always there, it was just time that made it easier to bear, easier to live with a muddle of knots in her heart, knowing that the abyss was always there and co-existing with it was something that wasn't out of the ordinary- Yet, Why did it feel like the abyss was looming over her once again, threatening to use a scythe to chip away at her life and structure. A structure that she had painstakingly built up over the days.

_You must graduate from my Alma Mater, Aien. This is the first clause I leave you with._

She felt something warm travel down the contours of her face and she touched her face, nonplussed by the transparent wetness on her fingers. Her father always found humor even in something as tragic as death, and even in his death, he wanted to feel he had some control over his daughter's life - a life that he was missing out on.

Brushing the tears, briskly from her face, she patted her cheeks and blew a quiet raspberry as she tried to gather her thoughts. The idea of seeing Oikawa’s handsome face, of having him joke lightly as his eyes lit up teasingly, calmed her a little bit, He was in the oddest of ways her sense of calm in the otherwise stormy dregs of her life. And in the past week, she had grown to crave his presence. To even experience something as normal as having a crush on someone was not what Aien had ever anticipated having after her father’s uncalled for death. 

“Aien?”

“uh...Kindaichi…Hi…” Aien smiled at him, he had stepped out from the gym with a heavy bag. Her face gave nothing away and had its usual glow around it despite a slight redness under her eyes that could be overlooked easily.

“Ah…This is for the Interview? Oikawa is wrapping up inside.” He informed her, whilst wiping the sweat from his face. His shirt had been worn inside out and was unbuttoned. The strenuous training was taking its toll on the boys, who looked much the worse for wear. 

Kunimi followed Kindaichi, his facial features had dropped even more than usual, which perked up in annoyance on seeing, Aien conversing with Kindaichi.

“Oikawa is inside.” He commented in a spiteful tone.

Aien nodded, oblivious to the jealously, “I'll head in when the crowd dies down a bit.” She fidgeted, “Oikawa-san told me to wait.”

Kindaichi frowned, “He’s been in this on and off mood so uh, be careful.”

"Oh...Well, I don't have a choice to leave." Her fidgeting had grown worse.

Mad Dog stepped out of the Volleyball Room and paused on seeing the trio, "You."

Kunimi grabbed his friend's arm, pulling him away, “Well, I'm sure you've got this figured out! Bye Aien!”. Kindiachi could be heard grumbling at the rude gesture, but he let his friend lead him away.

Mad Dog gazed at her intently, and repeated, "You."

"Yes...Hi..." The two of them stood awkwardly in front of each other. They hadn't run into each other after the fight between the soccer team, and the bruises on Mad Dog's face were still prominent.

"Um...Does your face hurt?" She asked, nervously.

"Why are you waiting here?" He cut her off, his golden eyes narrowing into slits.

She began to back away nervously, "I have some work with Oikawa-san."

At the mention of the name, he growled before stalking away, not giving her another glance.

Aien stepped in when she had finally felt the crowd ebb away and spotted Iwaizumi nodding at Oikawa as he jotted down stuff onto a slab of paper. Oikawa was seated on a chair and a huge markup whiteboard stood tall on the ground. The markup board had various names scratched on it, with numbers written below it.

Iwaizumi looked up at Aien, “Hey Aien, Here for this scum?” He questioned sardonically.

Oikawa slumped onto the chair beside the court, turning sharply to Aien, “Did you get him home safely?”

“Oh…So that’s what I was supposed to do.” Looking at him straight in the eyes, she continued, “It totally slipped my mind. Poor Takeru-chan.”

Oikawa’s mouth fell open in astonishment while Iwaizumi grinned, “Good, You’re slowly learning how to deal with him.”

Aien was surprised at her audacity, the desire to release all her pent up rage from all the feelings building up in her had left her with a raw sense of braveness, something that she regretted immediately. 

Oikawa crossed his hands across his chest, the corners of his lips twitching into a smirk, as he rearranged the momentary shock on features, quickly, “ Ah, Well. I wonder how that hobbledehoy is going to feel after he hears you’re the reason he didn’t get the interview that would have secured him a future. Poor Eric.” The last sentence was a mimicry of her tone.

Iwaizumi slapped his friend's across the head, in disgust, “Such a conniving bastard.” He grabbed his carry bag, "Well, I'm okay with trying out a new set of positions for the game. Let's see how it works." and he began to head out, ignoring Oikawa’s whines, “I’m leaving, Behave yourselves.” He gave them both an odd look, lingering a while longer on Oikawa's pouting face, before he stepped out, slamming the door after him.

“Uh…” Aien started as Oikawa began to hum, tapping his feet lightly.

“AND LOCK THE DAMN DOOR AFTER YOU.” His spiky head, poked in from the doors.

Aien jumped out of her skin in shock, leaving Oikawa in tears as he laughed at her reaction.

She walked up to him, grabbing another chair, and plonked herself down on it, trying to ignore the fact that she was alone with this manipulative, insane person. He watched her with a lazy expression on his face as she began to explain Takeru’s performance in the Volleyball Class.

Oikawa listened, interrupting her to correct her volleyball usages from time to time, and didn’t speak otherwise. This conversation went on for a bit, until Aien paused, concluding her monologue.

“That’s all from my side.”

He sighed, pressing his fingers into the temples of his head, his eyes tightly shut, “ That’s pretty good for someone who knows nothing about volleyball.”

She crossed her arms indignantly, “Who said I don’t? I have family members who’re very good at what they do.” In her urge to prove herself, she had forgotten of the rivalry between the boys.

His eyes still shut, “Better than me?”

Aien feigned ignorance, changing the topic, awkwardly, “I have to travel to Nagoya for a few days…End of this month…So, I’ll ask Eric to step in to take care of Takeru if that’s okay.”

He stretched his arms out, yawning as he spoke, “Nagoya? As your employer, I won't allow you to half-arse a job I’ve entrusted you with.” He glanced at her and was surprised to see her jaw tremble slightly as she bit her lower lip. He immediately apologized, “I was kidding Aien…Yeah Yeah, take your breaks…” His last words died down as he noticed her chest heave, as tears fell from her face.

She rubbed her eyes, a mixture of emotions in her voice, “I am not crying.”

He nodded, his eyes wide in shock, “Yes. You are not.”

Aien wiped her eyes, smiling a little at his reply, “I am not ready for what awaits me…in Nagoya.”

Oikawa furrowed his eyebrows, “ Is it that unbearable?”

A small laugh left her throat, “ The beauty…of being unable to define life, keeps me from setting limits to what I feel…I don’t know Oikawa-san…I don’t know if it's unbearable…”

He stayed silent, the sounds of the night were more audible than usual. Through the shutters in the room, Cicadas buzzed their loudest as they stalked the grounds of Aoba Johsai, and the rustling and buzzing of a few similar species– a fight for dominance amongst the insect kingdom. A lone stag beetle watched the two from its corner on a wall, blending in with the tones of the paint of the room.

“I’m not going to ask you why.” He finally answered her, a lost look on his sculpted face. “ Learning more about someone intertwines your life with that person…and some of us are not strong enough to bear it.”

She glanced at him from the corner of her vision and noticed that he was subconsciously fiddling with the bandage on his knee, and a red blotch had started to darken on the white wraps.

Aien exclaimed,” Oikawa-san!!!”

He followed her line of sight and tutted in annoyance, an eyebrow raised, “Seriously… This goddamn knee.”

Aien acted immediately, and grabbed the first aid kit that was placed at the foot of the court in case of any emergencies knelt beside the foot of his chair, determined to help him, and pulled the first aid kit closer to her. At the touch of her fingertips on his knee, He flinched, “Aien.” His brown orbs had widened and despite his effort to keep his facial expressions, collected, there was a shock in his eyes at her concern. The pain had seared through his knee, a gruesome reminder that the wound still existed, yet Oikawa looked more lost than in pain as he watched the girl who had been crying a few minutes ago, abandon everything to help him. 

He grimaced slightly as she dabbed at the blood with a swab of cotton she had pulled out from the first-aid box. At the proximity she was, he could make out the tear stains on her face, and the slight redness around her features. A few strands of her hair fell forward as she continued to clean up his wound. 

“J-Just stay still!” she exclaimed, trying her best to ignore the thunderous thuds from her heart.

Though her fingers trembled, she carefully removed the bandages on his knee, revealing a deep purple bruise. The sides of his mouth clenched, from obvious discomfort and pain, “It’s okay, I’ll just change it."

Oikawa had a look of disbelief mixed with confusion, as he watched Aien bandage his leg, unable to understand why she still stayed by his side, despite everything that had happened. This had started of as a joke then why did it no longer feel that way?

She tightened a fresh bandage around his knee after she had finished cleaning the wound, causing a gasp of pain from Oikawa, who gripped the back of his chair, finally looking away. “AIEN.” 

She moved back finally done, "Why are you practicing if your leg is this bad?”

"I have to play...My leg will heal soon enough." He countered, "Does your epilepsy stop you from living life normally?"

Aien fixed her eyes on him, "No. But I don't do stupid things to trigger it."

He groaned, leaning back, "Well, I have to do these 'stupid things'."

Aien began to close the first-aid kit and place it aside. Beside Oikawa's chair, a couple of silver sheets stuck out from his bag. On noticing the painkillers in his bag, she frowned, reaching out for it, but his reflexes were quicker, despite his disadvantage. The sudden movement caused Oikawa to lurch forward, losing his grip on the chair.

*CRASH*

Aien’s body hit the floor, as she was pulled down along with his force, and that moment of chaos, had unbalanced the two leading to an inevitable collision, and with the pain in his knee flaring again, Oikawa had fallen pulling her along with him.

It was Aien who had taken the worse of the fall, her back slamming into the ground, the breath knocked out of her lungs, a condition that had worsened with the humanoid figure who was leaning over her. Oikawa’s arms lay positioned at the sides of her shoulders, his eyes an indescribable storm of emotions and turmoil as he towered over her.

"What are those pills for, Oikawa-san?", It was a miracle that she found her voice in a situation that should have set off a series of attacks.

Aien felt the pounding in her heart worsen, and come to a crescendo that she was sure he could hear as well, as she stared up into his picturesque eyes - eyes that seemed to tell a story that she was dying to hear.

Oikawa's voice was low, "Painkillers." He stared at the girl pinned beneath his arms.

"Are those prescribed?" She continued, her voice so low, it could have been a whisper.

He leaned in closer, "No."

He was close enough for her to count the number of eyelashes over his dilated eyes, for her to notice the slight indent of a dimple near his lips.

His lips. HIS LIPS?

_I must not stare at his lips._

Silence.

Oikawa leaned in closer, breaking the distance between them as his face lowered to hers, his lashes brushing against her face. Aien’s breath hitched in her throat, as a strong wave of panic rose from her heart. She was seconds away from slamming her fist into his face. He reached out to push her bangs from her face, eliciting a deeper blush from the girl who stared back into his eyes with a mixture of emotions. Her eyepatch had shifted slightly, revealing a portion of her left eye. It was probably the unease in her eyes that broke Oikawa from his reverie. A pang of surprise flowed into his mind, _What am I doing..._

Scoffing, He backed away, moving away from her, hiding what he felt with his usual sliver of nonchalance, “That’s being a little too easy Aien.”

Aien’s hands supported her body from the ground, as she sat up, mortified. The situation had taken a turn for a worse on its own. Without a single word, she began dusting her clothes, her bangs falling back into their place, as they hid her expression from him.

Oikawa reached out to her, aware of what he had just said, and Aien slapped his hand away, horrified, “It’s been a whole week. I need to finish this interview.” Her voice wasn't steady.

Oikawa sighed, a vein pulsing on his forehead, irritated at the mention of the interview. Was he the only one feeling what he was feeling?“ You really expect me to believe that you’re doing all this for an interview? I mean, “ He continued arrogantly, digging his metaphorical grave deeper, “Isn't this what you wanted?”

Aien turned back to him, her face white with rage, “NO. This is not what I wanted.” Her eyes weren't teary, instead, there was an intensity that Oikawa had never seen before, She grabbed her satchel, desperate to leave this room, “You think too highly of yourself Oikawa-san.

“Oh please Aien, It’s so obvious that you fell for me…just like every girl in this school does.” That sentence wasn't spoken in arrogance but with a tinge of frustration.

Aien was now trembling with rage, “I will not deny that I did feel attracted to you Oikawa-san, but you can now take me off that list.” She stood her ground as she spoke her next words with conviction, “It’s not just a person’s face that matters but also his character, and I have never been more disappointed in someone's character...To have you think that I'm here just for...for that.”

She stood up from the floor, at the same time that he did, not completing her sentence. In a matter of a few minutes, all the progress the two of them had achieved over the week was shattered.

Oikawa scoffed, stepping closer to Aien, who instinctively took a step back, “Well I’m sorry I don’t fit into the bracket you’ve placed me in, but it's you girls who have made me like this. I have dated enough of y'all to know what y'all want.”

He laughed hysterically, raising his arms to his head, "You feel used? Imagine having to sort out on a regular basis if a person actually likes you for you or for who they think you are."

“Well, too bad they haven’t seen this side of you.”

Oikawa’s voice had turned into a low and dangerous tone, “Careful Aien, Just because I’ve favored you doesn’t mean you can talk back to me.”

Aien pushed the notepad with her observations into Oikawa’s hands, “I just want this deal over with because I can’t…I can’t bear to be in the same room as you.”

Seeing the pained expression on Aien’s face snapped Oikawa out of his trance, he had hurt her again, “Aien…”

“Please.”

And with that, she left the room.

* * *

~The Next Day~

Aien stepped into the volleyball room, dark bags under her eyes. She had spent a sleepless night, replaying the situation over and over in her mind. To think that he'd see her as easy, as someone he could toy with,

_Isn't this what you wanted?_

The audacity of that question, The embarrassment of it all. It had taken every single fiber of her courage for her to show her face in the volleyball room. She had an agenda in mind, give him a review of Takeru's performance, and in turn, get her interview questions answered. The faster this was all over, the better it would be for her. 

Iwaizumi stepped out of the volleyball room, a bunch of keys, jangling in his hand.

“Oh, Aien.” He stated, simply. “Oikawa left just a few minutes ago.”

She shuffled her feet, “I..er …”. He did this on purpose.

“Well, you can come with us. It’s his birthday this Saturday and since we have a practice match in Osaka, he wanted to celebrate before we left.” He offered, slamming the doors shut.

Aien shook her head, “Uh... No, I'm uh good.” To celebrate Oikawa's birthday with him would have been somewhat of a dream for her, but after yesterday, she was clear that there was no hope for the two of them.

Iwaizumi shoved the keys into his pocket, noticing her pained expression, “I know how he acts…But, He’d like you to be there.”

Aien paused, “He’s just teasing.”

“Maybe, Play along then.” He had a gleam in his eyes.

“I can’t keep up…I…” She turned aside, “It's okay Iwaizumi-san, I am here for my work. _That's it_." It was the way she spoke that perked Iwaizumi's observant nature. It didn't take him long to guess that Oikawa had done something to mess this up again.

Iwaizumi leaned against the door of the volleyball room, "You know...I've known that scumass for almost my whole life. And yes, he's an asshole most of the time, and he lives in a world of denial but it's all a facade...He's not a bad guy. He's just an untrusting, arrogant trashcan." He paused, giving her time to take in the information, along with his colorful choice of words.

"You shouldn't give up on him, Aien. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guysssss,
> 
> So, I'm finally getting to Aien's backstory and this was the first thing that I ever wrote in the fanfic, SO I'm excited to be getting to that part.  
> I like slow love stories which is why this is taking forever to happen.
> 
> Anywhoo, Thanks for reading as usual.


	23. Emotional Hot-Pot Pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa's pre-birthday celebrations...

Aien trudged behind Iwaizumi, apprehensively, her feet dragging behind her. Every step felt heavier for her as tumultuous questions bounced around in her head. Iwaizumi had been insistent on Aien going along with him, and what finally convinced her was his mention of Kindaichi and a few others. Though she had given in, with the fleeting promise of leaving quickly and the lingering anxiety to avoid feeding the suspicious look that had dawned on Iwaizumi's face, Aien still questioned her actions,

_What am I hoping to achieve with this…Do I even want to see him again..._

But, Iwaizumi didn’t look like someone who’d take no as an answer, and his loyalty towards his friend was commendable. Aien felt her gaze drift towards the tight-lipped boy as he walked in step beside her. She took in the tanned skin, along with the sharp jawline that aesthetically added to his ruffian vibe. He was in his volleyball shirt, which stretched across the front of his broad chest, accentuating the toned body that lay hidden beneath the thin material. He was the kind of handsome that bordered menacing, nothing like the young brown-haired adonis she had been crushing over. It wasn’t that girls weren’t attracted to Iwiazumi. No, he was someone they all held in awe and mostly, fear.

She ran her hands through her hair, as her thoughts went back to her last encounter with Oikawa. Her hair tumbled loosely around her face, and on reaching out to tighten her band, her fingers were met with the broken ends of her hair tie. Unbeknownst to the girl, having her curls fall to her shoulders, made her look like an artist's' Draw it in your style' take on any anime girl ever. 

Iwaizumi walked in silence, his mind elsewhere, and the usual brooding look on his face. Aien couldn't help but wonder why he had wanted her to tag along.

The skies still had hues of red bleeding in and cast a warm shade on the road the two were walking on. Large oak trees surrounded their paths, as they entered a lane which was a drastic visual contrast from the ones they'd walked on. It was definitely an area where the richer folk of Miyagi lived in, with the larger porches and three-storied houses, with exotic trees adorning the entrance, Aien felt her eyes widen in amazement.

"Wow...Is this where the diner we're heading to is?"

Iwaizumi shook his head, "Watari's parents are out for the week, so he offered to host us all."

Aien fidgeted, "We're uh...going to someone's house?"

He nodded, not taking his eyes off from the road, his hands dug deep into his pockets, " Most of the people in Sejoh come from rich families...Unless they're here on scholarships." He paused before adding, "Like trashykawa."

Aien laughed lightly, her curls framing her face, " Iwaizumi-san...um...Are you sure it's okay for me to be here?"

He shrugged, "Why not? You're here as my guest."

She turned her gaze to the red skies, admiring the floating clouds that were sparsely distributed in the sky. Her eyes dreamy, she vocalised in a softer voice, "He won't want me there."

It was now Iwaizumi's turn to laugh, "And do we care? No, No we don't."

As they neared a house with a rather flashy bronze front door, he stopped in his tracks. "We're here."

Watari's family name was embedded into a brown plaque that hung on the stone walls that surrounded a beautiful porch nestled between a medium-sized cherry tree. The tree hid a portion of the house with its pink, flourishing flowers. A few wisteria creepers had found their way onto the roof and the deep eaves, giving the whole house a hue of purple and pink. A traditional water fountain with the familiar clacking sounds of the bamboo's stick tapping onto each other met their ears. The fountain looked more ornamental than practical.

He stopped abruptly in his tracks, as he pushed the door open, leading her inside, “ I forget to mention…There’s alcohol.”

It was at those words, and the movement of the embroidered partition that separated the entrance from the rest of the house, that Aien spotted a cheery Oikawa yell loudly as he slammed his drink across the table. There were a few more third years kneeling on a tatami mat and gulping down glasses of strong liqueur as they cheered along. But it wasn’t the sight of the boy that had her frozen, instead, it was the girl beside him who sat a little too close for comfort. Kairi, her face emitting a daunting aura of beauty sat, decked in a sleeveless white shirt that highlighted her thin waist. Her long black hair flowed out behind her, with not a strand out of place, as she tucked her arms in Oikawa's hands. Soft Western trance music and the dim lighting further heightened the animosity of the atmosphere. 

Iwaizumi had a similar reaction, his lips curling slightly, “Ah, He’s at it again.”

Aien was now sure she didn’t want to enter the room but Iwaizumi turned to her, sensing her hesitation, “Don’t run away.” He put an arm around Aien’s shoulder, an irritated sound escaping between his teeth, “Just play along.”

He entered the room with an extremely flustered Aien, who could feel the pins and needles sensation travel through the rest of her person.

Oikawa stood up, stretching his arms behind him as he announced, “ As the Captain of the volleyball team and a soon to be 18 year old, I now pronounce all of us - 'DRUNK'."

"Har Har".

"KAMPAII !!" Few of the boys slammed their glasses in cheers.

Oikawa ended up spilling bits of his drink onto himself as he yelled out, "I'm gonna be an adult in three days!"

Kairi hooted, "Yes baby you are!!"

Oikawa was still standing as he tilted his head, his brown hair flopping backward. His eyes lit up, on seeing the newcomers, "IWA-CHAN YOU MADE IT HERE!". He leaned in closer, his eyes struggling to focus on Aien's face, "Iwa-cha, Am I seeing things, or is your arm around her?"

Iwaizumi wore a stoic look, ignoring the question as he sardonically commented, “Well you didn’t waste any time…got straight to it didn’t you.”

Oikawa ignored Iwaizumi and knelt down, dropping to his knees, his heavy-lidded eyes watching her, "But she's mad at me... I said some unforgivable stuff..."

Aien felt her insides churn in shock, "Uh...Oikawa-san..."

Kairi who was slightly tipsy herself, peeped over, barely recognizing Aien in the dim light of the room, “Iwa chaaaan.”

Iwaizumi's fingers twitched around Aien’s shoulders, and he spoke through gritted teeth, “Kairi.”

Oikawa was still gaping at the two of them and then broke the silence with an adorable hiccup. "Hic." He had changed into a black tee that was a few sizes too large for him, but if anything it only made him look like a lost puppy. Aien felt her heart beat faster as she chided herself mentally for feeling that way when he was clearly with someone else.

Iwaizumi released Aien from his grip, "Head to the kitchen, I'll be right behind you." With that, he grabbed a hiccuping Oikawa back to his seat, berating him for drinking too much.

But Aien felt her feet unable to take another step inside the house, she still couldn't shake the memory of the previous evening and as much as she desired, her feelings weren't so shallow that they could disappear so quickly. As she watched Kairi and Iwaizumi, fuss over Oikawa who had a lost look on his face as he tried to struggle in their firm hold, yelling "I'M FREE NOW. I'M FREE.", her heart sank as the reality set in, he would never be her's. Oh, how she envied Kairi for being able to even sit beside Oikawa. Her face felt warm as she turned away, unable to bear the scene.

_Was this all just a beautiful dream?_

The door opened, and an angry boy barged in, almost slamming into Aien in the process, "Watch where_" He stopped as recognition filled his features, "You."

Aien rubbed her arms, timidly, "Hi Kentarou..."

"You...are here too." He stated.

"I was just leaving actually. "

He slammed his fists into the wall, making her jump back in surprise, "Stupid Stupid Yahaba. He tricked me into coming here." With a wild light in his eyes, he smirked, "Looks like he's dying to get his pretty little nose broken."

Aien felt an arm tousle her hair, and she turned around in surprise, Iwaizumi nodded at her, "Why are you still standing here?"

Mad Dog nodded at Iwaizumi in greeting, and pushed past them, as he stomped the wooden elevated floor, in search of Yahaba. 

"We can uh get in trouble for underage drinking...So, I uh..." Aien started, trying to come up with an excuse for why she wanted to leave. 

Iwaizumi shrugged, "We aren't letting anyone below 17 partake in the drinking and, as long as no one rats us out, we'll be fine."

He nodded in the direction of the room, his sharp eyes seeing through her excuse, "Come in. You'll feel better when you've met the rest."

Aien, feeling the pushover side of her personality take over, followed, forcing her eyes to avoid peeking at the brown-haired boy who sat giggling at the table. She entered the kitchen which was opposite to the room where everyone was lounging and took in the table with bottles of soju and red bull scattered haphazardly, on a messily strewn cloth that was drawn on the table. The smell of hot soup reached her nostrils. The kitchen was a colossal mayhem of packaged vegetables and meats and an old instant pot sat stewing on the kitchen surface. Watari's place was indeed a mess.

Kindaichi, a red cup in his hand, gulped down a drink, “AIEN!!!”

He ran over to the two of them, “Have they coerced you into being the cook as well?”

Iwaizumi snorted, “It’s only because those drunkards spent all the money we had on soju.”

Oikawa pulled away from Kairi on hearing Iwaizumi’s voice, and beamed, “Iwaaaaaaa-chaaaaaaaan, You’re just in time for the foooooood.”

Watari was seated on the platform of the kitchen and was pouring himself a glass of soju. On seeing Iwaizumi's expression, he shrugged, “It’s my place.”

“You’re 16.”

“No. I'm 16 and 5 months.”

Kunimi, the caffeinated effects of the red-bull hadn't hit him yet, stared without blinking at Kindaichi, his usually dull eyes, glistening slightly from the steam of the hot pot, “ Are you taking care of the stock?”

Aien moved away from Iwaizumi’s side and placed her bag at the side, feeling more at home in the warmth of the kitchen, “May I?”

Kunimi sighed, grabbing his glass of red bull, “Sure.”

She eagerly rummaged through the assortment of meats and noodles and sauces arranged on the table, and sighed, "A hot pot doesn't mean you just add anything you want."

Kunimi shrugged, 'They'll be too drunk to notice."

Iwaizumi continued to chide Watari for drinking, before grabbing the glass from the boy and emptying the contents into his own mouth. A minor disagreement broke out between the two boys.

Kindaichi jumped up beside Kunimi, joining him on the kitchen surface, his face flushed and his eyes wild with excitement, "I'm sooooo happy we are all here." He pulled Kunimi into a hug, "Finally, We get to take a break from all that stress."

Aien raised an eyebrow as she tasted the stock of the soup, recoiling from the harsh taste of the fish oil that had been carelessly added to the boiling water, "Is he drunk?"

"It's the red bull. It always has a stronger effect on him." Kunimi commented, handing her the packet of meatballs, his hands trembling a little, "Add these."

"No, The stock is too strong, I need to lighten it." She argued, searching for something acidic to reduce the heaviness of the broth. 

Kunimi shifted in his friend's grasp, "You can let go of me now, Turnip-head." There was mild affection in his voice as he poked his friend's belly.

A girl in a yellow tank top walked up to them, "One of you help me bring in the birthday cake and the candles."

Kindaichi hopped off the platform with a wide grin, "MEEE."

"Ah! Alcohol." Aien exclaimed, adding a bit of soju to the heavy stock and stirring it, surreptitiously. 

Kunimi glared at the retreating back of his friend, "Pfft. Why the heck are you adding soju?"

Aien tasted the simmering stock and smiled, "Taste it now. It's a lot better."

He frowned, "Can I add the meat already?"

Aien slapped his hand away, much to his surprise, " WAIT."

They stayed in silence, though the happy yells from the other room were loud enough to make their silence less awkward. Aien arranged in pristine white plates, the thinly curled slices of wagyu beef and fresh pork.

"How do you not burn with jealously?" He broke the silence, watching Kairi and Oikawa flirt with each other.

Aien who was busy arranging the pre-cut veggies onto the plates, and almost squealed in joy at the shitake mushrooms that were pre-cut as well, turned to him in surprise," Huh?"

He yanked at her hair in annoyance, causing her to yelp, "You're so dense."

She rubbed her head, "Ittai...See, first, you keep everything ready. Then, you start adding whatever you want to the hot-pot." She moved the instant pot to the bigger ]platform where Watari was lounging, "And, this is not the traditional way this is made, but it shouldn't taste too bad."

Watari leaned back, "Why isn't the food in it?"

Aien slammed her hands to her head in frustration. "Has no one here ever eaten Hotpot before?"

Kunimi grabbed bowls, "Not the kind you're talking about."

Watari burst out into laughs, "Gotchu bro."

Aien ignored the joke, adding a few clusters of noodle bars into the simmering stew, "We can start adding the meat but we have to be careful we don't overcook it."

Watari pointed at the cabinet behind them, "You can use the shabu-shabu bowls. It's the small white ones. "

Kunimi glared at him, "Do we look like your servants?"

Watari waved his hands, "Ayy, Don't take out your anger on me just because Kindaichi's a dense boy."

Kunimi grabbed the cabinet doors open and yanked the bowls out, setting them out forcefully. Aien ran to help him, scared he'd break a few glasses in the process.

Iwaizumi on seeing the food being set out, began to make place on the table they were all seated at and a few boys walked over to carry the instant pot and the trays of sliced up meat and veggies. 

Aien felt an arm yank hers, and looked to see Kunimi pull her towards the table, "You sit with me. "

She was confused, but went along with him, taking a seat at the table. The smell of Soju was strong and it was evident that most of the boys at the table were tipsy, with their excessive giggling and slurred speech. Iwaizumi sat on the other side of Aien, pouring out ponzu sauce into a small bowl and using his chopsticks to pick up cooked meat from the steaming pot.

Aien turned to Iwaizumi, who looked rather uncomfortable, sitting in the crouched position he was in, “I'm not sure why you asked me to come here.” She chose her words carefully.

He shrugged, “I don’t know myself. But, I like it when Oikawa is annoyed.”

The man in question had busied himself, his hands dug into the back of Kairi’s head as the two of their faces molded into one, an intense passion emitting from the two.

Aien felt bile rise in her throat, as she pushed her own bowl away from herself, her appetite vanishing, “I think I’ll leave in a bit.”

Iwaizumi sighed, “ He's going to regret this in the morning. ”

Aien was curious about Oikawa's and Kairi's relationship but was too nice to prod. She pursed her lips and said nothing, staring at her bowl of soup.

He noticed her look and laughed, "Don't you want to know more?"

She flushed, "Uh...I..."

He drank his glass of soju, not flinching in the least at the strong taste, " They're not together if that's what you're wondering. They've broken up too many goddamn times."

Aien didn't feel her heart raise in happiness at that, all she could think of was how she still didn't have a chance regardless of whether the two were together or not.

He continued, reaching out to add more meat into the hot pot, stirring it as he did, " He needs some stability in his life. He's got too used to chaos."

Aien stared at her own bowl, poking at the shitake mushroom floating in it, "I’m not sure why you’re…rooting for us."

He shrugged, "Out of all the odds out there, you seem to be the most favorable outcome." His eyes were as clear as ever, despite the alcohol in his body. He held a hand to his mouth, "Wow This Soju is making me say cringy stuff."

Kunimi’s face was a bright red as he chugged the red bull in his glass, barely touching his food, "Bloody Bloody Bloody Hell."

Aien didn't comment on his choice of expletives and poked at the pork in her bowl, "Is this cooked?"

He deftly flicked the meat from her bowl into his mouth and nodded, "Yes it is."

She stared at him in astonishment, "Haha. Funny."

He frowned at Aien, bumping his shoulders into hers, his face contorted in pain, "You must help me. I've helped you so much."

"Huuh????" She stuttered. 

He rudely jabbed his chopsticks in the direction of Kindaichi and the girl he had stepped out with. The two of them were seated rather closely and Kindaichi was whispering in the girl's ear in what looked to be a very seductive manner. The unseemly sight made Aien's ears turn red in embarrassment.

Kunimi's eyes glared daggers at the girl, "Just take that... THAT WANTON PIECE OF_" He rephrased his words after taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, "That girl. Just take her away."

Aien's eyes widened as she suddenly realized the context of a lot of Kunimi's odd reactions, He had been jealous all this time, which meant that...

"Kunimi.... Do u um... Like kindaichi?"

To her surprise, he didn't seem shaken, he turned to her coldly, "Does it look like I'm hiding it?"

She stammered, nervously, "H-H....does he know?"

His lips twitched in annoyance, and he burst out, "Does it look like he knows? God Aien. Your similarity with Tobio is astounding."

Iwaizumi who was quietly drinking beside Aien turned to her, "Tobio? Tobio Kageyama?"

Kunimi sighed, the red bull effect had faded, but his incessant desire for drama hadn't, "She's Tobio's cousin."

Iwaizumi burst out laughing making the rest of the table turn to him as he wiped the tears from his eyes, "There you go Aien. Now you know why I'm really rooting for you guys."

Aien flushed, not turning to the direction where she knew the two of them were still plastered to each other's faces. A part of her felt relieved that Iwaizumi hadn't taken too badly to the revelation which meant that there was a chance that Oikawa would react the same.

Kunimi turned to her, his eyes pleading, " I will pull Kairi from him if you do the same. "

Iwaizumi was busy mixing the energy drink and soju because he felt the buzz wasn't strong enough from just the single drink and he added in a jovial tone, that he wasn't willing to pee until he was at a decent buzz level. Mad Dog who was sitting angrily beside a content Yahaba, mirrored Iwaizumi's actions, growling as he challenged the boy, "Let's see who can chug this faster."

Thus began a small competition between the two, but Iwaizumi eased through the competition being the veteran that he was.

Aien turned away from the two, "What's your plan?"

Kunimi smirked, "I have plenty. You focus on yours. I'll focus on mine." Saying that he stood up and made his way to the other end of the table, and Aien watched curiously as he tripped and fell behind Oikawa and Kairi, knocking slightly into the two of them and thus breaking them from their kiss. Kunimi edged himself between the two, putting his arms around them as he began to speak, words that Aien couldn't hear. He looked like a natural and the two of them listened seriously to what the boy was yammering about so passionately.

She grinned to herself, "He's good." She turned in the direction of Kindaichi, "It's time to make good on my part."

Aien walked up to Kindaichi, embarrassed. She awkwardly placed her hand around his shoulder, as she squeezed herself beside the girl in the tank top and him,"haha... Kindaichi-kun there u are!!

He beamed at her, making place for her as he yelled in her face, "AIEN DID U DRINK THE RED BULL DRINK TOO?? AND THE HOT POT IS TOO DAMN FINE."

"Uh yes" She flushed, her actions having none of the panache that Kunimi's had.

The girl beside Kindaichi didn't seem fazed by the intrusion, "You the girlfriend? Sorrs,This kid won't stop talking to me."

Aien was even more embarrassed, Had Kunimi had misunderstood the situation?

" No No...I er..."

Kindaichi giggled pulling the two girls together, "I was just telling Mia about how they built a birdbath in my backyard."

Mia sighed, "He kept whispering the whole damn thing in my ears as if it were a secret."

Kindaich nodded solemnly, "The eagles might overhear." His eyes bright, he turned to Aien, " We have these tiny sparrows ya know."

The girl in the tank top sighed, "I'll go tell the damn eagles myself."

Aien shuffled in between the two, uncomfortable with the stench of alcohol emitting from the girl and the proximity of the two. 

Kindachi whispered, "Do you wanna play some volleyball?" He looked around to make sure no one was watching and then added, "The birthday cake code word is 'Do you wanna play some volleyball' heheh"

The girl in the tank top shrugged his arms from her shoulder and muttered something about getting another drink.

It was at this moment that Aien turned in Kunimi's direction, a look of glee on her face, and was surprised to see Kairi resting her head on Kunimi's shoulder and no sign of Oikawa. Aien could feel Kunimi's cold glare on herself, as he mouthed the words 'bathroom' to her.

Aien grabbed Kindaichi's hand, understanding what he was implying, this was probably her only chance to get Oikawa alone and test the waters to see if he still wanted to talk to her after what had happened the other day, "Kunimi would love to play. You should tell him what you told me."

Kindaichi agreed, standing up gingerly and the two of them headed to the kitchen's partition. H

Aien motioned at Kunimi to follow her, and the boy gently moved Kairi onto another boy's shoulder and walked over to the two of them, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

He whispered into Aien's ear as he passed her, supporting the hyperactive Kindaichi in his arms,

"Go get your man, Aien."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haiiiii y'all,
> 
> My weeks just progressively get worse, but writing these chapters make me so happy. And, hot pots are mostly always my dinners so I find bonding over it such a joyous experience. And yes, I know they're underage, but...Oikawa's coming of age and wants to break the rules. Our golden boy should be given a free pass at time too, don't y'all agree ahahaa.
> 
> THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO IS KIND ENOUGH TO READ MY THOUGHTS. Have a killer week everyone!
> 
> A hungry and antsy Hazel


	24. Emotional Hot-Pot Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa's pre-birthday celebrations...Part 2

He whispered into Aien's ear as he passed her, supporting the hyperactive Kindaichi in his arms,

"Go get your man, Aien."

Aien flushed at the comment packed with suggestion, and turned her head, in the direction Kunimi had nodded in. She was filled with equal parts guilt and unbridled anxiety. 

Her feet moved on their own accord, taking her into what could only be the unknown. Ignoring the sounds of glass clinking against glass, boys arguing in loud voices, and the dull pop music playing in the background, she continued heading down the hall.

The real reason she’d wanted to speak to the young adonis in private was that it’d be some time before they'd meet each other, with the kind of days that lay ahead of them. With her pending visit to Nagoya for her father's second clause of the will, and Oikawa's visit to Osaka, who knew how long it'd be before they'd have an encounter again, And, she didn’t want their last meeting to be one of a fight or so she reasoned with herself. She had come to terms with her feelings and somehow that gave her a closure she hadn’t expected. She was both thankful and a little sad – thankful because she had never thought she’d feel fluttery over anyone after her dad’s passing, sad because Oikawa was someone she could not have.

With all these thoughts rushing through her head, she continued walking down the dimly lit hall. The hall had bluish-white, night light arrows, marking its long and winding stretch. Its luminescent, warm glow made her feel like she was strolling inside an underground aquarium. The roof of the hall had LED strips plastered around it as well, adding to the warm hue of the room. 

"Iwa-chan." A weak voice called out from somewhere down the hall, "H-Help...me..." The voice trailed off.

Aien rushed in the direction of the voice, fear gripping her. "Oikawa-san!"

She hesitated at the door that was left ajar, knocking softly, while repeating, "Oikawa-san..."

"H-H *ACK"

Aien shoved the door open, to see Oikawa kneeling by the sink of a pristine white bathroom, his pale hands gripping the edges so tightly that she could see the veins popping from it as he trembled. She was mildly distracted by the sight of such a large bathroom, intact with a large ofuro tub and decorative pebbles scattered around the floor. Being more a minimalistic family, Aien had never had the luxury to ogle a rich man's house and it had her speechless in its presence. It took a few more hacking sounds from Oikawa to grab her attention and didn't take long for her to gauge the situation. She grabbed the boy immediately, noticing the saliva that had dripped onto the front of his shirt. She struggled with his weight, unable to pull him up from the floor.

"Oikawa-san, Please try standing up. You can lean on me." She didn't want him to throw up all over the clean bathroom floor.

He finally caved in, pushing himself up, his arm around Aien's shoulder as she led him to the toilet bowl. She helped him kneel by it, holding his soft hair back as she did, "Oikawa_"

*BLEUUUUUURGH

Aien felt a wave of nausea hit her, as she tried to distract herself by focussing on the soft hair she was holding in her hands. It was as soft as velvet and had grown so long that when it wasn't styled by gel, it covered his face completely. She mentally played with the image of a human version of a Shih Tzu. And in the present scenario, his long hair had no gel in it and was a chaotic mess in her hands.

When he was finally done, he almost slumped forward, his face heading face forward into the toilet bowl but her reflexes were faster, "OIKAWA-SAN!", She cried, yanking him backward, and toppling over in the process. After ensuring that he was okay, she reached out to flush the toilet and helped him stand up 

Half dragging him to the sink, she flicked open the tap head and sprinkled water on his dazed face, which made him blink and hold onto her shoulders with an iron grip.

Water drops latched onto the tips of his long eyelashes as he smiled at her sheepishly, "How was I?"

Aien stared at him dubiously, "I hope you're not asking me to rate your puke." She shoved the mouthwash towards him, "Gargle."

He followed her instructions without questioning it, his face, a sheet of white.

Aien slammed her free hand onto her face, _When I meant alone time with Oikawa-san, this was not what I had in mind. OH MY GOD. WHAT DID I HAVE IN MIND THEN?_

Oikawa stumbled out of the bathroom, his wavy hair which was now slightly wet from the mini-wash he had had, was plastered onto his forehead. He giggled, sounding like a child with new toys, “Happy birthday to I !”

Aien smiled, all trace of mixed emotions gone as she gazed back at him, “It’s not your birthday yet…”

He pouted, pointing at her, as he stepped out of the bathroom, “Let mee gets a closer look at her.”

Aien stepped out of the washroom after washing her hands, vigorously, “Uh who?”

He stepped forward, towering over Aien, his fingers playing her the loose strands of her hair, “Her.”

“Kairi?”

He flinched at the name, a frown on his face, “Please don’t call her here.”

“Why not, You looked like you were having fun.” She crossed her arms, "Or, do you think she'd not want you because you have stinky puke breath now?"

The expression that formed on Oikawa's face was priceless, " I have puke breath??" He pushed his face right into her, their foreheads bumping against each other, "DO I?"

Aien was about to attack him in an area that would have been a fatal knockout for the unsuspecting boy when heavy thuds reached their ears, and the two of them turned in shock, in the directions of the tremors. Aien reacted instinctively, pulling Oikawa away from the center of the hall as Kunimi charged towards them, a hand clamped over his face.

Kunimi apologized, holding his face, as his hands started turning a darker shade, as some liquid began to drip from it.

“NOWSE BHLID.” He yelled, running in.

Kindaichi followed, a blubbering mess, "KUNIMIIIII"

“Why is he bleeding?” Aien asked him, whilst struggling to hold up a heavy Oikawa, who was hanging off her shoulder like a bat.

Kindaichi shrugged, “I was trying to show him a newer hairstyle, instead of that godforsaken front parting, and then, the next thing I know, he was BLEEDING! ALL OVER ME.”

Oikawa snorted, still resting on Aien, “ They says peoples have bleeds when-est they’re excited…” He straightened himself, resting his hand on the wall, and began to spell out the word he’d wanted to complete. It was an explicit word that made Aien, slam her hand onto his mouth to stop the words from forming. This was not the way Kindaichi should ever find out about Kunimi’s feelings.

“Haha! Looks like you’ve had so much to drink Oikawa-san.” She spoke over his voice, hoping to drown out the expletive in the process. She was fortunate that Kindaichi had too much adrenaline flowing through his body to notice anything out of place.

Kindaichi grinned at them, “Well let me go check up on Kunimi.”

Aien felt something warm touch the interior of her palm, and she drew her hand back in shock, “DID YOU JUST….JUST LICK ME?”

He smiled, moving his head closer to hers, bumping his forehead against hers once more, “We’s close now Ahien.”

“Aien.”

“Ahien.” His breath smelt strongly of soju and the mint mouth wash, she had forced him to use.

Aien wrinkled her nose, moving backward, “Uh. Well, If you’re saying that because I helped you puke without soiling your clothes, then yes we’re close.”

His face fell into a pout, “I know there is something I need to yell tou.”

“Yell tou?” She questioned, racking her brain to unscramble his spoonerism. “Oh…Tell you.”

He fell on his knees, similar to how he had when she had entered the room with Iwaizumi, “I…I…” He turned his gaze back up to her, and in the dim light, all Aien could think of was how it didn’t take much for her to forget everything she was angry about. Because when you like someone, you tend to forgive all their shortcomings. And, with the way his eyes stared up at hers, as though she were a painting in a museum, a work of art that was to be admired, she felt all her walls break down once again,

Oikawa, Captain of the prestigious Aoba Johsai Volleyball Club that had been rated as one of the top three teams in the prefecture with the highest chances to make it to the nationals, the heartthrob of Miyagi, suave, charming, and lacking in nothing but maybe kindness, was kneeling down in front of her. In front of her??? Surely this was all a joke and she'd wake up in her bed at The Kageyamas' anytime soon. 

Aien sighed, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket, and followed suit, her knees hitting the wooden floorboards. She wiped the corner of his mouth with the cloth in her hand, “It’s okay Oikawa-san, We can talk after this party. Enjoy your birthday.”

“Don’t call me Oikawa-san anymore.” He let her baby him, as she continued to wipe the drool from his face. His cheeks were flushed from the drinks, and his warm brown eyes were deceptively clear.

Her hands paused on his face, “huh…”, She gathered herself quickly with a shake of her head, “Uh... What do you want me to call you then?”

He frowned, his eyebrows furrowing so intensely that the veins on his head seemed to pop out, “I …want a small name like yours. Oikawa-san soundsss formal.”

She laughed, “Are you asking me to call you by a nickname?”

He nodded, not hiding his enthusiasm. It was definitely the soju talking.

She moved her hand back, pushing the handkerchief in his hands, “You can keep that with you. And as for a nickname…Doesn’t Oikawa mean great king?”

He nodded, pumping his arms, “Because apparently, that’s whats I am.”

She patted his shoulder, “I will think of a name to call you by, but until then, Oikawa-san's gonna stick.” 

He didn’t look happy but didn’t argue because it was at that moment Iwaizumi-san walked in, “There you are. We’re all waiting to cut your stupid-ass cake.”

He walked over to them, “Is he harassing you?”

Aien stood up, brushing her clothes, “He puked…”

Oikawa grinned, jumping back up to his feet, and stumbling into Iwaizumi, who held him with ease, “AHIEN helped me puke Iwaaa.”

He held his nose, “You really can't handle your alcohol. Pathetic.” Turning back to Aien, “Sorry for ruining this moment but any longer and someones gonna fall into the cake.” He didn’t sound tipsy in the least despite the several glasses of alcohol he had chugged.

Aien shook her hands, “ No, No…Please. I’ll be right behind you.”

“BAI BAI AHIEN.” Oikawa waved at her, her handkerchief dangling from his hands like a flag, as he let Iwaizumi half drag him out of the hall.

A few minutes later, Aien was back at the kitchen counter with a sullen Kunimi and an eager Kindacihi. Kunimi was mad because he had let his nose bleed ruin a special moment between the two. The trio stared on at the crux of the party.

Iwaizumi had pulled the cake out and placed it on the table, making Oikawa punch his fist into the air, “IT’S A BLUEBERRY CAKE WITH MY FACE ON IT.”

“Figured you’d like something like that. And this way, I can cut you without being imprisoned for life.”

Oikawa bumped his fists into Iwaizumi’s broad shoulders, “You know you don’t mean that.”

Aien hid in the kitchen, not wanting to enter the fray where Kairi could recognize her any moment, even though she now knew that Kairi had no real claim to Oikawa apart from being an ex of his.

A chorus of voices, all in different ranges (probably the world's most unorganized acapella group), and a lot of people falling flat, filled the room as they sang loudly for the boy in front of them - a boy who had just been leaning beside a toilet, puking his guts out a few moments ago.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY OIKAWA-THE GREAT KING. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. MAY THE KINGDOMS YOU RULE BE EVER SO STRONG. LEAD US OH GREAT KING.

“AND LET’S GET A LITTLE LESS TRASHY WHILE WE'RE AT IT. “ Iwaizumi sang out, his voice hitting a vibrato. 

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!” Everyone joined in.

Kunimi sat beside her on the counter, a white tissue held near his nose, as he watched Oikawa slice into the cake gleefully, “Well that sucks.”

Aien sighed, “How did your nose start...bleeding?"

He held his head back, with the air of a Victorian princess, “I’m delicate.”

Kindaichi giggled, busy playing with the fishes in the aquarium near the kitchen counter, “You are to be named Goldi, and you’re hammer, and you’re eyes and you’re_

“They aren’t gonna remember those names,” Kunimi stated softly.

“CATCH HIM.”

The trio turned in the direction of the yell and Aien moved closer to the boys, the sudden yell sending chills down her spine, it was the sound people made before they jumped into a fight scene.

A bunch of the volleyball team had grabbed onto Oikawa, and each of them had colorful fist-sized ballons in their hands. They had him imprisoned in their grasp, leaving no room for escape.

Oikawa squirmed in their grip, “GUYS NO NO NO NO SAVE ME IWA CHAAAAN.”

Iwaizumi was the one who held the largest balloon in his hand, “ oh, Shittykawa, you have no idea how much I’m enjoying this.” With that, he slammed the blue balloon into his friend's face, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCUM.”

The rest of the table cheered, including Kunimi, who shoved a glass into Aien’s hand, yelling over the music so he could be heard, “DRINK UP. MAYBE THAT WILL MAKE YOU A LITTLE LESS BORING.”

She glared at him, eyeing the drink carefully, before taking a gulp of it, and coughing, “What is it?”

“You should have asked me that before you drank it.” He smiled evilly.

“WHAT?”

“KIDDING, IT’S REDBULL WITH A DROP OF SOJU.”

Aien turned in the direction of the mayhem which had only gotten worse, and Watari was desperately trying to make sure none of the paint fell onto his furniture, which had been covered with a white sheet, in preparation of the mayhem that would have followed, and in the process, he had taken the worse of the lot.

Oikawa was a painting, splurted with the liveliest of colors, and so were all the boys in the fray. They had thrown Oikawa back onto the ground and had turned to attack each other, forgetting about the boy in the process.

Kunimi wrinkled his nose in disgust, “Animals.”

But, the music and the voices were too loud and Aien could barely hear the boy. It was at that moment that she noticed, a huge disco-ball with flickering lights added into the room, sending her brain into a rush of shock waves and warning signs as her neurotransmitters went haywire.

_This would be a god-awful trigger._

Kunimi noticed her discomfort, and pointed, “FACE ME.”

She turned in his direction, her head still throbbing, and shut her eyes, praying desperately that she would not have an attack here. She would be unable to explain this situation to her aunt or Tobio for that matter.

After a few moments of calming her throbbing mind, Aien groaned softly, her hands curling into fists by her side, “I should leave.”

Kunimi shrugged, nonchalantly. He was busy cleaning the bits of confetti from Kindaichi's spiky head that had somehow burst all over the room.

Looking around the room with squinted eyes, She spotted Iwaizumi arm-wrestling with Mad-dog whose face was colored with the paint-bombs that had passed around the room. Kairi was fast asleep in a corner with a blanket around her, a few girls were seated beside her and were playing a violent card game and somehow ignoring the mayhem around them. Her eyes searched around the room for his but to no avail – he had vanished and no one seemed to notice, or maybe he was crushed under the stampede of wild boys. She hoped it wasn't the latter.

She headed towards the door of the house, dragging her bag behind her. There were a few flecks of paint on her face, from her proximity to the paint war. The dim lights of the room, and the introduction of the dazzling disco ball, had been her cue to leave. Her head was throbbing with the visual overflow, and she knew it'd be better to leave before an attack.

"Aaaaaand 92 bottles of soju arrounds, da wall!". *Hic, "Take ones down and pass its around." Oikawa sang, sitting out on the stairs, his feet tapping to an offbeat rhythm.

Aien closed the door softly and walked up to the singing boy, whose clothes and hair was a myriad of color, yet even with the oddness of the paint, his beauty hadn’t diminished in the least.

_So that's where he is..._

With one bottle of soju in his hand, he waved it in the air, and hiccuped once more, "Aaaaaaand da previous number minus one bottles of soju arounds da wall, take *HIC."

"One down and pass it around." Aien finished.

He turned back in surprise, mid-hiccup, and pointed accusingly, "That's mine song." He stood up, almost falling forward from the sudden exertion. Aien reached out to grab him, almost falling forward in the process, herself.

After steadying him, she helped him lean against the cold railing before taking a step back, " Why are you here alone?" 

"I'm not alone." He said, unblinking. "You're here."

She turned away, holding the railing opposite him, to steady herself at his words, "That's not what I mean. It's uh...your party, you should be in with everyone."

He ignored her question, looking at something in front of him, "Help me gets there."

She stifled laughter at the lapse in grammar, she now knew whom Takeru had to blame for his lack of grammar skills. She looked in the direction he was pointing at, it was a garden bench that overlooked the span of green. But in the low glow of the street light, the only thing visible was the beautiful night sky.

Aien nodded, “I’ll ask Kairi to help you ou_

He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her closer, his face flushed, “Noo, I don’t vant to kisssss her anymore.”

Aien stifled a laugh despite the fragile path her heart was treading on, “I’m leaving now Oikawa-san. So, I'll get someone to help you.”

He laughed, his voice light, “ Happpppy birthdayyy to meeeee.”

She tapped her feet, focusing her eyes on the ground below them.

Oikawa was still gazing at her, “ I Feeel sickkkkkkkkk.”

The memory of him throwing up all over Watari's Bathroom was still vivid in her mind, she frowned, moving away from him, " Oikawa-san, Let's get you inside."

He stared into her eyes, barely registering what she was talking about, “You’re short. I have to …” he gestured at his bent knees, “It’s like talking to a smooool child.”

Aien crossed her arms across her chest, staring at the mixture of red and blue on his face, “That’s offensive. And, most definitely not how you ask for help.” It was like looking at a colorful Oompa-Loompa, a greek god version of one.

He giggled, turning away from her, pulling her hand in his, his long fingers interlocking with hers, "Come with me."

She let him lead her further away from the steps of the house. The back of his hair had hair locks sticking in every cardinal direction, and his grip on her hand was tight as he dragged her from the house, sudden power in his steps. 

As they neared the bench, he sunk into it, patting the seat beside him and releasing her hand.

Aien didn't budge, “I will bring Iwaizumi-san here.”

She started to walk away and paused when she felt the corner of her jacket being tugged.

“Please stay.”

Aien turned to him and felt her heartbeat fasten, his eyes were slightly hazy now, but the expression on his face was one of purity, one that lacked any sort of malice or arrogance. In that moment of weakness, she sat beside him, quietly. 

He closed his eyes, leaning against the wooden bench, “Happy birthy to me.” He said in a softer voice

“Happy almost birthy to you.” Aien rocked her feet. It was getting late and she was now concerned about Tobio's reaction. Kunimi had texted Tobio for her, informing him that she'd be late.

He turned to her, “I only celebrate my birthdays with my friends." 

“Oh…and girlfriends by the looks of it.”

He giggled in an adorable manner, “WHeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”

Aien sighed, “I really need to leave Oikawa-san."

He turned to her, his eyes focussing on her as if just noticing her presence, “Ahien…"

“Aien…” She corrected.

He flicked her forehead, causing her to flinch in pain, and rested his head on her shoulder, “You smell nice.”

There was a silence that followed the announcement, and Aien tried to ignore the gigantic tremors in her heart by focussing her attention on a lone spider by the lamp post, who was busy fixing its silky web to lure, unsuspecting flies into its trap.

She chanced a look in his direction, This position couldn't have been comfortable for him, but there was a calm smile on his face, one she'd never seen before. It was a face that hadn't been corrupted with the filth of the world, a face that hadn't lost hope - a face that sober Oikawa, almost never wore.

Aien felt an urge to talk, words which she'd have never chanced if he'd been sober, and it was probably the red bull that had entered her system that had given her a little more courage than usual, “About yesterday …Oikawa-san…"

She poked him, to test if he were awake.

He was silent, his breathing steady indicating that he'd probably slept.

“You’re not wrong. I think I let myself get carried away with you. “ She laughed to herself, gaining more confidence after every sentence. "Sometimes, all the teasing and attention... its uh...I feel like hey, someone out there still remembers me." Her voice fell to a lower range, "But, I understand that you have history with sooo many girls and, it's not like I'm standing out in any way. And uh, I just love books and the most boring stuff. Yes, I'm so boring. I've barely lived life. I haven't even played paintball or...or even, ever removed my eyepatch in public."

The spider on its silky web above her dangled lightly, a fly entrapped in its clutches. Aien trailed off as her eyes followed its movements closely. 

"Maybe I'm being greedy and Maybe, I want to find more instances to spend with you and uh.... excuses to be by your side. I want to be able to run into you at your best and at your worst...heck, you can puke again and I...I'd want to be the one you turn to. I...I uh, what I'm trying to say is, _I want you to need me._ " She blushed at her words, a deep rose-red filling her cheeks with color, "I'm being selfish arent I?"

The spider had successfully trapped the fly into its web and was now admiring its handiwork.

"And, I have a lot of things to settle before I can even dream of being with someone like you... And, I won't chase you or confess or do anything like that. Because I want to be someone so much stronger than I am now. But, when I see you, everything I know about myself, every single warning that my brain sends out, I tend to ignore them all." She turned to his face, still asleep, and in continuation of this newly found bravado, she brushed her fingers lightly through his hair, murmuring to herself, "Because...Because, it's so hard not to be enamored by you, Oikawa-san."

As if in response, she felt the weight on her shoulder, shift slightly, “That’s tooooo much to process for my head, Ahien.”

Aien stayed quiet for a while as the boy slept on her shoulder, his soft hair tickling her throat, _How much had he heard?_

Panic was all Aien could feel as she registered that the boy had been listening to her all this time, _How much will he remember tomorrow?_

"Ahein..." His head was still on her shoulder, "I don't know what sou yaid, but when you're next to me... *HIC"

She poked his head, "Yes?"

No response.

"Oikawa-san?"

*Gasp

"Uhhhh" She stuttered as she stared at his head that was now resting on her lap.

"HUH????"

She hadn't carried her phone with her and was now helplessly locked in place by a fluffy head full of hair. There was no saving her from this situation. 

"When you're next to me, I feel at peace because you see me...*HIC"

Aien could barely make out the words, that the boy muttered. She stayed frozen on the wooden bench, praying that no one would catch them in this situation.

But it was just as she thought that, that the worst possible scenario played out.

"Aien?" A familiar voice, called out from the street, pausing in shock at the sight that he saw.

Aien felt all the blood drain out of her body as she stared at his flabbergasted expression in horror.

**WHAT WAS HE DOING HERE!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guyss, I will re-edit this chapter (tomorrow hopefully) because I have not checked it as many times as I'd like and I have a lot of work to finish :(((((((
> 
> Consider this my Valentine's day gift to y'all haha. Thanks for reading!  
> Starting a god-awful shift tomorrow, PRAY FOR ME
> 
> Hugs and High-fives,  
> Hazel
> 
> P.S This is Hazel from one day in the future, and yes, i have now rechecked the story and I'm A-OK w ith it.


	25. The Kings of the Courts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Grand King of the Courts vs The King of the Courts.

"Aien?" A familiar voice, called out from the street, pausing in shock at the sight that he saw.

Aien felt all the blood drain out of her body as she stared at his flabbergasted expression in horror.

**WHAT WAS HE DOING HERE!**

Tobio watched in horror, refusing to believe what his eyes had fallen upon. It couldn’t be…It couldn’t be his sister. It had to be a dream. It had to be a grotesque dream. He'd probably wake up in cold sweat, the next minute and laugh this all of as a dream.

"Uh...Um..."

He felt the voices inside his head scream out, hoping to drown the soft voice from the pale girl in front of him. Maybe, this way he could pretend it hadn't been her. But there was no mistaking the brown curls, and the sharp side profile of the boy he had grown up, admiring and fearing. The boy whom he had learned the tricks of the trade from, the same boy who had bullied him ceaselessly for years...

Tobio pinched himself until a red welt began to form on his hand and the soft skin soon broke with the pressure applied. A drop of red hit the ground below him, noiselessly and it was probably the vibrancy and enticing charm of the blob of liquid spreading on gravel that jolted him slightly to his senses.

"..."

Aien was too frightened to move, all color had drained from her face and she could only manage to look at him, her heart creating a ruckus in its chest. The tips of her toes had frozen in response to the situation, turning her only means of escape into a mass of jelly.

“Ai-Aien?” He questioned again, but it was evident from his shaky tone that he didn’t need any confirmation. It was her and the person on her lap was...

“T-T-T…” The words refused to form in her mouth, her tongue rolled back dryly, falling limply in her mouth.

He refused to walk any closer, from where he stood he had seen enough. He began to back away, his head shaking in denial.

“No…No….No…” He muttered to himself, “This is not real.” He continued to back away, his dark eyes never leaving hers.

Oikawa groaned in Aien’s lap, “You’re wiggly…”. He nestled his face deeper into the fabric of her clothes, resulting in a sharp intake of breath from the girl.

Aien finally found her voice, “Tobio-kun, Please wait” she called after the retreating boy

Oikawa’s head seemed heavier in her lap, “Wha-What…”

Aien moved his head gently from her lap, laying him down onto the bench. His eyes were tightly shut and a look of discomfort had formed on his face as he noticed the shift from the soft surface to the cold wooden desk beneath him He mumbled in his sleep but Aien couldn’t stay any longer. After ensuring that he wouldn’t roll over in his sleep, she took off after her brother, who was still backing away from them, a wild look on his usually sullen and disinterested face.

“TOBIO-KUN!” She sped after him, her feet hit a stray pebble that sent her tumbling to the ground, eliciting a sharp yelp from her. She glanced at her scraped knee and brushed away at it before standing up, and running after her brother.

He finally turned away from the sight before his eyes and continued his long strides away from her. His fists were firmly clenched at his side and his silhouette looked more menacing than usual.

Aien finally caught up to him and grabbed at his arm in an attempt to stop him, but it was a worthless try. He continued walking almost dragging Aien along with him.

“Tobio-kun please listen to me.” She pleaded, not letting go of his arm.

The only sounds that filled the night were from the crunching of gravel as Tobio’s enormous feet stomped down onto the ground. But he refused to respond to her pleas choosing to turn a deaf ear.

She tried again, tears filling her eyes, “I-I…This is …Please hear me out.”

He stopped in his tracks, removing his hand from hers, his shoulders trembling a little, “It’s late. I need to go home.”

Aien nodded, her head resembling that of a bobblehead, “It’s not what it looks_

Tobio shrugged, his back towards her, "I don't care."

Aien was shocked by the indifference in his tone. She was aware that Tobio wasn't one to involve himself in social nuances but, she had hoped that after the few months they'd lived together, he'd be different with her. But, it was like watching all of her work unravel before her eyes, it was as if Tobio had never known her...As if, he were still a stranger to her.

Aien sank to the ground in dismay, "Tobio-kun...It's not what you think..."

He was silent for a few seconds and then in a stiff voice, added, " You don't know what I'm thinking."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she sniffled, "It's not good things, that's evident."

Tobio whipped around, “Don’t think I care who you associate with.” He pointed in the direction of the boy sleeping on the bench, who now looked like a small blob from the distance they were standing at, “But, that guy, he…he…” his electrifying blue eyes turned back to hers, a storm of emotions before finally settling on indifference, “I don’t care.”

“Tobio-kun, He’s the one I’m interviewing. That’s it. After this, that’s it.” She blurted out, slamming her fists into her palms to stress the power in her sentence. 

His eyes narrowed, “It didn’t look like that's it’. He has had a lot of girls in his life. Is this really_” He slammed his hand to his head, “I don’t care, Aien.”

"Why are you so mad at me, Tobio-kun?"

A flash of anger on his face, made Aien take a few steps back in fear, "You have to ask me? He's an enemy and he's not someone you'd want to see with your sister." He glared at her, "He is not someone who cares for anyone.”

Aien stood up from the ground, livid at the accusation, “And what about you? Do you care for anyone?”

Tobio glared back at her, “I don’t make claims that I do.”

Aien raised her voice, “Then whats the real reason that you’re mad? Because you think I’m chosing him over you?”

He scoffed, “Don’t flatter yourself Aien. I spent most of my childhood putting that man on a pedestal. I don’t blame anyone for choosing him over me. But,…” there was a hint of pain on his face as he spoke the next few words, “I didn’t expect him to win my sister over too…the one person who was always rooting for me…”

Aien froze in her tracks, as she stared back at his cold face that hadn’t changed countenance even after such an emotional outburst.

Tobio kicked at a stray pebble in anger, “But I don’t care. I don’t care if the whole world hates me and is against me.” His jaw trembled inconspicuously, “I won’t lose to Oikawa-san forever.”

“That’s not the way to talk to shortie.” A condescending voice spoke up from behind them, "At least not about me."

Aien stared at the ground, wishing it’d open up and swallow her whole. This situation had just taken a turn for the worse. Standing before them was a disheveled Oikawa with paint sprayed all over his face, which n any other situation would have been comical, but in this particular situation with the tension so tangible, it only made Aien curl up inwardly.

Tobio’s fists clenched at his side, his livid eyes beady voids of rage, “Oikawa-san.” It was comical how he still treated Oikawa with respect despite how the boy resembled someone out of a circus, with streaks of paint running through his brown hair and color bleeding into layers of his skin.

Aien moved closed to Tobio, quickly explaining the scene, “He’s drunk…He’s not himself and he's just ... Let's just leave.”

“You’re with drunk people?” He sounded nonchalant but to Aien's trained ears, she picked up on the morsel of emotion hidden behind that sentence, “We’re trying to take care of you and you're here with drunk people?"

Oikawa walked closer to Aien, not gauging the situation at all with the mush his brains were at that point, “I won't let you leave, Ahien.” He hadn’t registered Tobio’s presence as his eyes were fixed on the girl beside him. He looked at her as though she were the only person in the world, his eyes twinkling slightly despite the domineering tone he had spoken to her in.

Aien closed her eyes, hoping that if she did, this whole scene would dissolve and she’d be safe at home.

Tobio stepped in between the two of them, slightly taller than Oikawa, “You will talk to my sister in a nicer tone, Oikawa-san.”

Oikawa squinted, crossing his arms over his chest, “Who are you again?”

Aien’s eyes snapped open at those words, and a small gasp escaped from her mouth.

Tobio, through gritted teeth, “Really?”

Oikawa swayed a little, pointing accusingly at Tobio, “Give her back to me.”

Tobio frowned, a shadow covering the top of his face, “She is not yours.”

Oikawa laughed, “Not yet… you mean.”

Aien gasped at the same time that Tobio grabbed the front of Oikawa’s shirt, shaking him violently.

“NO!! Tobio-kun!” Aien tugged at his arm, “Why are you behaving this way? He didn’t do anything_”

Oikawa finally recognized the boy standing in front of him, and his face contorted into a sneer, “Well Well, looks like volleyball isn’t the only place we compete in.” He caught Tobio’s wrist and returned the steely glare, “Know your place Tobio-chan.” And just like that, It was like he’d never been drunk. The two boys stayed in the deadlock, refusing to be the first to give in.

Aien pushed herself in between the two boys, shoving at their chests simultaneously and breaking them apart, “STOP BEHAVING LIKE CHILDREN.”

The two of them stared at her in surprise. Her hair seemed to mimic her rage and had turned wilder than usual and gave her a scarier look. Oikawa rubbed his eyes because the two siblings looked astonishingly similar when they were angry. The same thin eyebrows that furrowed into their T-Line and the way their lips curled upwards… made him wonder if he were seeing double.

Aien pointed at Oikawa, “Please go back to Watari-san’s house…” He stared at her blankly, before his eyes turned back into slits.

“You’re choosing him over me?”

Tobio stiffened by Aien’s side, “TEME_”

Aien glared at him, “You have said enough.”

Oikawa stalked away, swaying slightly as he did, “Fine. WHATEVER.”

With that, The Kageyama siblings turned away and walked on in what had to be their worst silence yet.

THE NEXT DAY!

Kindaichi listened in silence as he finally managed to get a brooding Aien to talk about what had her looking so gloomy, “But there’s nothing going on between Oikawa and you!” He stressed, rubbing his head in confusion.

They were seated at the cafeteria, as usual, a place Aien hadn’t been to after the fight with the football team. The students of Aoba Johsai still gave her a wide berth, but as is with every gossip, its shelf life was short.

Kunimi sighed, “Aien, give it time to blow over. This really isn’t a big deal.”

Aien had tears in her eyes, “Tobio-kun won't even look at me now. And, I don’t even know if Oikawa-san will forgive me for hiding this from him.”

Stabbing his chopsticks into the food that lay in front of him, he scoffed, “Kageyama always behaved like a child.” He shoved his lunch into his mouth, and spoke after chewing quietly for a minute, “We don’t know if he even remembers anything. He was really out last night.”

Aien wiped the tears from her eyes, “Even if he doesn’t remember, I need to tell him the truth_

“As I said, the rivalry isn’t between you guys. Sooo, both your men need to chill their panties. God. Heterosexual relationships are so annoying.” He cut Aien in a rude tone.

Aien sniffed loudly, burying her head in her arms.

Kunimi moved her food tray towards himself and began to pick at her untouched food, turning to meet his friend's disapproving glare, "Food must not be wasted."

Aien mumbled, "He can have it..."

Kunimi gave Kindachi a smirk before stuffing a piece of pork into his mouth. "Now, stop brooding. Oikawa has important matches coming up, he's not gonna remember something this minor." He paused, "Oh what am I saying, of course, he's gonna remember this, what with Kageyama being his rival and all."

Aine groaned loudly in her arms, trying to drown his voice out.

Kindaichi stared at the two of them in amazement, “What's this about Oikawa and Aien?”

“There is no ‘Oikawa and Aien’, my delusional dear.” A cutting voice spoke out from behind them.

Kunimi didn’t turn back, Instead, he muttered to himself. “Zzz, The icing on the cake.”

Kairi tapped her feet, “Stand up, Aien.”

Aien glanced from between her arms, startled at the hostility in the voice, and stood up, “Yes, Kairi.” She moved her bangs to cover her eyes and hide the puffiness.

Kairi crossed her arms over her chest, her black hair flying out behind her, “I warned you to stay away. But looks like this didn’t ring out.”

There were whispers around Aien, it had been news that had broken out in the school like wildfire that morning as people witnessed Kairi crying over Oikawa as he finally broke it to her that he didn’t want anything to do with her anymore.

Kindiachi made a movement to stand up but Kunimi grabbed the boy's arm, holding him back. "Let her fight this."

Aien raised her voice, the frustration that had built inside of her finally finding its release, “I am not trying to take Oikawa-san away from you. This isn’t some drama. If he wants you…You…You wouldn’t have to corner me all the time!” She raised her head to meet the girl's eyes, “Looks like he made his choice if you’re standing here in front of me to fight over it.”

Kunimi whistled between his teeth, a smirk growing on his face as he whispered into Kindaichi’s ears, “Rawr.”

Kairi was seething, “ What do you have that I don’t? WHAT?”

Aien frowned, “I have made this clear multiple times. I have no interest in Oikawa-san.”

Loud coughs from Kunimi’s direction distracted her for a second. She shook her head and kept her eyes on Kairi, and it was at that moment, Aien felt pity for the girl. She had feared this person so much over the few months of school but right now, in this moment of weakness, she felt the pain, Kairi was experiencing. Pain was no stranger to Aien, and if it was one thing that connected most humans was their ability to feel pain…to feel…

Aien couldn’t hate Kairi for the things she had said or done, after all the girl had resorted to her feral instincts to protect the boy, she was in love with.

In a calm voice, she spoke, “I am not trying to get in between you and Oikawa-san.”

But nothing could assuage Kairi, who was determined to deal with Aien.

She grabbed Aien by the front of her shirt, lifting her slightly off the ground, her voice breaking, “It’s because of you, isn’t it? What he said to me this morning?”

Aien’s feet wiggled from the force of being held up, she grabbed the hand that held her by the collar, “Wh-What?”

It was frightening how such a beautiful girl could turn into a hideous monster in seconds. She spat each word out, "DO YOU REALLY NEED ME TO REPEAT MYSELF?"

Aien struggled in her grasp, "I Really don't know what you're talking about."

Kairi stared in shock as people began to look at her in contempt and in a final attempt to save herself, she yelled out, in desperation, “I KEPT THIS TO MYSELF ALL THIS TIME, BUT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT AIEN.”

She dropped Aien to the ground, and the girl began to cough from the pressure on her throat.

“DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY SHE’S HERE?” She continued in a tone that meant business.

Aien froze, warning signs lighting up in her mind. She was bluffing, right? There was no way she knew the truth right?

Kairi’s eyes had a demonic light in them, “ The beauty of social media is that nothing can stay hidden forever.”

A few people began to murmur wondering if Kairi had lost her mind. A few of them begged her to reveal the secret she was guarding.

_“She’s here because her father killed himself.”_

There was a silence that met this announcement and Aien stared at the girl in shock, the words spinning around her head. She steadied herself by placing her arms on the ground.

_No…No…No_

“I did some research to see what she’d been like in her old school. She was an outcast there as well.” Kairi stressed, laughing maniacally.

The school was now abuzz with people whispering and gossiping as they took in this new piece of information.

Kairi grinned, "I kept this to myself because I actually felt bad for this slut. But, I want you to hurt just as much as I am."

Aien didn’t budge from the ground as she felt her vision turn black and the words run through her mind, _I’m a freak again._

Kindaichi finally stepped in, pulling Aien from the ground, wordlessly and Kunimi turned to Kairi, “How low of you.”

“Feels good, doesn’t it? Speaking your mind.” Kunimi spoke quietly trying to diffuse the situation and pretend that he hadn’t heard something awful.

Kindaichi frowned, but his voice was quieter than usual, “Don’t try to change Aien’s pure personality.”

Aien collapsed to the ground, her feet losing their grip on the ground.

The two boys reached out to hold the girl up, noticing her sallow complexion.

“Aien…”

Her voice was so low they could barely hear her.

Kunimi grabbed his bottle of water, splashing drops of water on her face.

“Should we take her to the matron?” Kindaichi hurriedly spoke, supporting the girl in his arms.

_Aien remembered that night so vividly, it was like time hadn’t passed. She remembered screaming until her throat bled, she had spent those weeks in a blur of hallucinations and epileptic attacks. Every time she closed her eyes, she’d see her father smiling at her, right before he slit his throat in front of her. Smiling as blood gurgled around his throat. Smiling as he slowly dropped to the floor, motionless. It had taken her months to be able to finally look at herself in the mirror and not have a panic attack. To be afraid of the one thing, you really can’t hide from – yourself._

Aien pushed him away, “I’m fine.”

_She had spent months bedridden amongst walls of white, and people clothed in white. She had spent months staring at a single space on the wall. Sounds grew dimmer, as her vision grew unnaturally sharp. There were so many moments when Aien didn’t know if what she was seeing was real. She’d reach out to touch her father, and he’d shatter into silver shards. She'd reach out to open doors that never existed. Having her eyes shut or open made no difference, she was always seeing things._

Kunimi, “Aien…Let us help you.”

_No amount of therapy or treatment settled her mind. The doctors were frustrated with the lack of response to the treatments. She could barely fall asleep, fearful of what awaited her every time she closed her eyes. They increased her dosages at night, to let her fall asleep, but that led to her having a series of attacks all at a time. Misaki had given up hope that Aien would ever heal, her best friend was a husk of the girl that she’d been. Misaki was furious that there was nothing she could to do to pull her friend back to reality._

_Until one summer morning, Aien had woken up and had reacted slightly to the people around her. The colors of the morning didn't haunt her like they used to. After six months of hallucinating her father, this was the first morning she hadn't see him. She had started to respond to her senses. The dosage of the drugs began to gradually reduce._

Aien pushed back the canteen door, to the shock of Kunimi and Kindachi who watched in horror.

_Misaki had cried when Aien finally called her by her name. She had pulled the girl into her arms and hadn't let go for a long while. When Aien finally spoke about her father’s death Misaki had scoffed, saying she didn’t want anything to do with a man who didn’t love his daughter enough to suck it up and survive._

“YES. MY FATHER KILLED HIMSELF. AND SO? SO WHAT?” Aien cried out, her voice cutting through the hordes of students gathered around Kairi, trying to fish for more information.

_But Aien had pressed on, Had the autopsy really shown that her father had killed himself? And, the pitiful looks that the doctor wore had been her answer. Much to her surprise, she wasn’t mad at her father. She wasn’t mad, but why had she never known what he was fighting with…She had asked Misaki, Why people never spoke about what they were fighting with, and Misaki had said they were scared...scared to admit what they were feeling._

“Now that everyone here knows my story, I don’t have to hide it. I don’t have to fear anyone finding out and thinking lowly of me. You freed me, Kairi.” Aien was trembling as she spoke, her vision was blurred because of the tears in her eyes.

_Her first time in the open after her months of hospitalization had ended up with her crying at the footsteps of an abandoned park. When Misaki had found her, she had held her close and pointed at a lone ladybug on her arm. Ladybugs were supposed to be charms of luck she had said. And, if you saw a ladybug at the worst time in your life, it meant you’d have good luck. Aien had stared for hours at the small bug, which rested peacefully on her friend's hand. Good Luck huh?_

Kairi was speechless, having not expected Aien to retaliate.

Aien slammed her hand into her chest as a mark of surrender, “I don’t care what anyone here thinks of me. My father was a great man, and ..and…” her voice finally broke from the monologue, “and…he made his choice.”

Kairi finally found her voice, “ You’re just as crazy as your father was.”

_She had fallen asleep on the footsteps of the abandoned park and had woken up to silence. There had been no Misaki…or any ladybug…She had been alone again. The pain in her chest stung her, bringing her to her knees. What’s real anymore…Otto-san._

Arms grabbed around her, pulling her into the warmth of someone’s chest, “You did good Aien.”

The familiar scent of pinewood mangled with cinnamon, comforted her as hot tears ran down her face. Her fingers clutched tightly onto the lapels of his shirt, his words resonating in her head…You’re safe now…

_The police had found a girl, half-frozen on the footsteps of an abandoned park in Nagoya and the reports said that there had been a dead ladybug in her clenched fists._

Steely brown eyes glared at Kairi and the rest of the canteen, which had fallen into a shocked silence, while his arms protectively hid her from them, “ If any of you lay a hand on her again, You will live to regret it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guysss,  
> YES, I know I'm late haha, but I really wanted to work a bit more on this chapter, and I got off a little early from work to work on it.
> 
> I can't wait for the weekend already :(
> 
> Stay Strong,  
> Hazelll


	26. The second clause

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few weeks before the AJ vs KSH match, Aien recalling times spent with her dad. Oikawa and Aien growing closer to each other and the like.

Iwaizumi sat by the bleachers, he had strained a muscle on the court and had now been benched for the remainder of the game. Nevertheless, Oikawa had been in top form during the last few matches, as they raced through quick victories against a few of the top teams in the districts of Osaka.

The only trouble they’d had was Mad Dog’s unpredictable moves and his failure to comply with their captain leading to several clashes with the team, but they were now falling into a pattern and it was getting a lot easier to control Mad Dog's vile temper.

“Kentarouuu! LEFT!” Yahaba shouted from the bleachers in annoyance as Mad Dog crashed into Kindaichi who glared back at the boy and looked ready for a punch down.

Oikawa slapped the two boys on the back, his voice clear as he commanded the lot, “Shake it off. We’ll make up for the lost points in the next shot.”

He wiped the sweat from his face and positioned himself, another two rounds and it’d be his turn to serve again. He felt an ocean of confidence, as the days to the Prefecture matches drew closer, his goal seemed to be clearer. He knew exactly what he needed to do to guarantee his team's victory. This was what he had trained non-stop for, and this was what he had hoped to make a career out of and to prove to his parents that he was worth it.

The teams from schools around Osaka were a mixture of college students and high school students alike. There was a clear difference in the strength of the college teams, and Aoba Johsai but all the players held Oikawa's team in awe as they knew he was a force to reckon with. 

The real reason Iwaizumi was resting his leg, was because the next match they’d have was against a top school, west of Osaka – _Inarizaki high school_ , and he'd never forgive himself if he missed out on playing them.

He yelled out to Oikawa as he saw him ready himself for one of his killer serves, "Trashykawa, You mess that serve up and you're gonna be treating us all to ramen!"

Oikawa flinched, almost dropping the ball, "Not fair, you guys...", The rest of the team tittered, the mood of the team rising.

Readying himself, he jumped up into the air effortlessly, and swung his arm down at a speed that could only be classified as demonic, his muscles rippling as his hands made contact with the ball, sending it with startling intensity as the ball hit the ground with a satisfying thud.

Oikawa punched his fists into the air, "Yahoooooo!" The rest of his team grinned, morale picking up once more.

The captain of Inarzaki was currently sitting on the bleachers opposite Iwaizumi, a calm expression on his face as he watched Oikawa with eyes that seemed to calculate his every move.

Iwaizumi felt a sliver of pride as he watched his team pull together and finally win a crushing victory against 'Greenwich school', 12-25.

Oikawa walked up to the bleachers, a demonic look on his face while Iwaizumi stood up, “Good Game.”

Oikawa smirked, “Been a good week for our team. Can’t wait to bring those damn crows to their knees.”

“Line up” an emotionless voice called out, and the two boys turned to see the silver-haired captain lead his team up to the front.

Iwaizumi had a gleam on his eyes, “They seem an interesting bunch."

Oikawa nodded, “The twins are known around the Hyogo Prefecture for being a deviant combo. Similar to Chibi-chan and Tobio-kun.”

“The Miya Twins…” Hanamaki pitched in, “If we win in the prefecture matches, We will face off against them…This is great practice.” He flexed his muscles as he spoke, cracking them slightly.

Oikawa nodded, gripping the edge of his seat, “We will win in the prefecture matches.” His hands unconsciously slipped into his pocket, where his fingers fiddled with the soft fabric of a hair tie, a tie he had found on the ground and had never returned.

A few hours away in another town, the owner of the hair tie, lay on her chest as she skimmed through pages of a book.

Aien stared at the brown cover of a moldy ruin of a book that was almost in tatters. With its ragged cloth exterior, one would expect nothing less from the interior but the pages inside were relatively fresher, making Aien wonder how the book had survived the aging process. She ran the pages through her fingers, feeling the scratchy surface over and over as sharp pains shot through her chest. This book was supposed to be another souvenir left by her father.

She sighed, running her hands through her tangled curls.

548.

It was exactly 548 days since that day. There had been no note, there had been no explanation. He was just gone one morning as if he had never existed in the first place.

She had been dreading the next clause of the will, wondering what her dad had left behind. But, all that Lawyer Hann had given her was a book…a badly maintained one at that.

There had been no letter, there had been nothing that could explain the truth to her. According to the will, this asset was supposed to be given to her after a year of his death and was meant to explain the reason he was gone. But, to her dismay, the book made no sense to her. Her father was just as cryptic as always.

Bringing the book closer to her chest, she could make out the earthy smell that was usually associated with older books.

Lawyer Hann had handed her the book in silence, his large eyes revealing nothing. Aien had wanted to scream at him, to ask him if this was what she had traveled all the way for, for a mere book? Nevertheless, she had pored through the pages over and over until the words resounded in her head, the story of an old man and the fragility of life. 

This was just another addition to the list of unexplained assets she had from her father and was a testimony to his elusive personality. Glaring at her stood Dr.Felix Ray, a splash of oil pastels, so remarkably life-like. 

What was the meaning of the painting? Was it related to the book?

She poked the large frame, a dust bunny flying into the air from the sudden disturbance. She knew the tale behind the painting, the original one at least. It was painted as a gift for the doctor who had cared for Van Gogh during one of his dark phases. The doctor who had received the painting had hated it and used it as a substitute for a chicken coop's roof.

"But, what is my father trying to tell me through that painting...or is it just a painting?" She muttered softly to herself. 

Misaki lay asleep on the couch beside her, her hands curled near her chest. Her face looked at peace as she stayed in her stupor. It had been a lazy weekend for the family in Nagoya, they had a burst of heavy rains on account of a brewing cyclone near the coasts. And, the rains had reduced business at the shop drastically. But, the rains had caused the drains to overflow and water had leaked into a few rooms, which just meant added expenses for that month.

Lawyer Hann had reluctantly visited the family, his face as indifferent as the first time he had met her and shoved a Van Gogh fake on her hands. He had read through pages of legal documentation, that Aien had lost meaning halfway through his reverie because she had been overcome with grief and had relied on Misaki to explain the ordeal to her. But Misaki had been just as lost as she was. The only thing she had got from the meeting was another useless asset.

“The next clause” Aien mumbled to herself, turning the pages of the book by O’Henry for the umpteenth time. She had stayed away from impressionist writing because she found the texts to be excruciating at times, and for a mind that was already fickle, it was probably for the better.

Her thoughts slowly drifted away as she stared off into space, feeling comfortable in the place she was at. She closed her eyes as a shudder passed through her and she recalled the events of the week. She had seen Oikawa angry before and he’d always seemed so violent, so overwhelmingly fierce. But this time was different, despite how angry he had been at Kairi, none of that translated to the way he had been with Aien.

Thinking back, Aien was surprised at what had come over herself, she had never stood up for herself all her life, choosing silence as her means of escape. And to have Oikawa…

She remembered Oikawa leading her away, his hand tightly gripping hers as he led her away from the canteen. He had spoken a lot of words, none of which she had heard as her head had felt heavier than usual. All she remembered was how brown his eyes were, with flecks of gold scattered around his iris and how cold her hand felt in his.

From the corner of her eyes, she spotted the corners of a brown book sticking out from her satchel. Oikawa had given her this book, telling her he’d not be at the school for a week. At that point, his words hadn't made sense to her, but on opening the book, she saw in Oikawa’s neat penmanship, series of interview questions that he had filled out, this would be enough for her to get a decent article out.

Tears spilled from the corner of her eyes, as she recalled how warm his arms had felt. How he had promised her, she’d be safe…safe…

_How am I supposed to not fall in love with you?_

* * *

"Papa?"

"Ai-cha." The man answered, rocking his feet lightly as they stared off into the sunset.

Toddler Aien, stared up at the man, tugging at the eye-patch the doctor had custom fit for her, "Usui...Usui-kun...umm...says I look like dorobo..." Her childish whine died down, as she pouted to herself.

His chest heaved as he laughed, throwing his head backward, before turning to his indignant daughter, "Ai-cha, What did you say to him?"

"Me...Me says..." She tugged at the eyepatch again, "Me says nothin papa..."

Her father had a couple of stitches that ran all the way from the side of his head, the aftermath of a wild shell that exploded near their barracks, he'd been lucky to escape with just a minor hearing impairment. His light eyes twinkled at hers as he took her small hand in his, " Next time someone says something rude, you know what you must do?"

She had stopped fiddling with her eyepatch, and stared back with large eyes, entranced by her father, "Yes Papa?"

He moved her hand towards her head, pushing her bangs into her face, and hiding the black cloth from sight, " Tell them you're a ninja girl."

Aien's single hazel eye blinked back at her father, as a rush of giggles left her mouth, "A nwinja?"

He stood up, carrying the girl in his arms, as he spun around lightly, "A beautiful ninja princess from a secret clan hidden in the depths of the forests."

Aien reached out to hug her father's neck, giggling uncontrollably, "A nwinja pwincess."

"And, ninja princesses must always hide an eye because it is a rule of their clan."

He kissed her head, but the look in his eyes was enough to send shudders down one's spine. In the man's eye, there was not a trace of the happiness with which he'd spoken to his daughter, in its place were two blank hollows.

His daughter was fast asleep in his arms as he lay her down inside the house, pulling back the blinds and tucking her in. Leaning outside her door, he sank to the floor, a sob leaving his throat, "I'm so sorry, my dear...", his hands hit the door softly, "I'm sorry that you had to have me as your father."

* * *

The smell of warm brownies baking away in the oven woke her up and she stared in amazement at the room she was in. But she didn’t question the change in surroundings and felt her feet lead her in the direction of the scent.

“Otto-san?”

Tall, with hair that fell flat over his head, similar to Tobio’s style, he turned back, his lips curling into a smile, “Did you sleep well?”. Time had caused the man's face to wrinkle immensely, but the smile that spread on his face was a lot more enticing.

She nodded, pulling up the stool so she could sit near the oven and breathe in the scent. But she was apprehensive of her father's skills, and sniffed the air once more, “It is …chocolate only right?”, her voice was staunch with suspicion. 

He grinned, “And a secret ingredient!”

She groaned, “No, chocolate would have been fine.”

He flicked her forehead, laughing in a wicked tone, "Your lack of faith in your father makes him sad."

She rubbed her head," I've had enough of you messing with all our meals, Otto-san."

He fell silent for a few seconds, a silence that Aien hadn't noticed as she continued to sniff the air, her nose twitching uncontrollably.

"There was a time you used to call me Papa." He began, nonchalantly. 

She waved her hands in the air, "Everyone here calls their father that."

He looked rather silly in the stained white apron he was wearing, and he grabbed his ten-year-old daughter's hand, pulling her into a dance pose, " Does that mean you aren't my little ninja princess anymore?"

Aien mock-danced with her dad before breaking off into fits of laughter, "Oh Papa...I'm a big girl now!" With that, she left him to himself, as she plonked herself back on the counter, lost in her own world.

The wrinkles on his face were a lot more noticeable when he wasn't smiling. "Indeed...You are."

Aien hummed happily on the counter.

* * *

Aien's father sat outside the emergency room, his hands gripping his head tightly, as he prayed for his daughter's safety. 

"Sugawara-san?" A voice called out to him.

He looked up at the doctor, jumping to his feet, "How is my daughter? Will she be fine?"

The doctor sighed, "She's having sleep attacks more frequently. The meds don't suit her, and we're running out of options that will keep this at bay." He looked into the eyes of the ragged father, whose face was unkempt, and sighed, "Her body is weak...The chances of her_"

He was cut off by the sharp glare in Aien's father's eyes, "Zero. That's the chances of my daughter ...my daughter...anything happening to my daughter. My daughter will make it through."

He moved away from the doctor, deep in thought, as he pushed the doors open. 

Aien lay on the bed, a frail girl, wrapped in sheets of white.

He sat beside her bed, his eyes shut.

Her small hands gripped his hands lightly in her sleep, making him open his eyes in shock, "Ai-cha?"

But she was fast asleep, her hand bandaged from when she had hit the ground during the attack. The doctors had to stitch up her head to stem the bleeding and it made the little girl's face look smaller than usual.

"How cruel..." He cursed the world under his breath, "How cruel that you allow children this torment...Only a cruel god would allow this." He trembled slightly as he spoke the next few words, "Spare my daughter...Spare her...Burden me instead...Take me instead..."

* * *

Oikawa pulled Aien into a hug, and they stayed still for a while. She could hear his heart beating fast in its cage, He was so warm...so warm...

He was talking, but his words seemed to roll off the top of her head, as she focused on the fabric in her hands, soft...Oikawa-san made her feel safe.

He finally let go of her, falling to his knees in front of her, he tilted his head slightly, "Are you listening to me, Aien?"

Her eyes focused on his, and it was only then she realized she'd been crying. She wiped her eyes and shook her head, surprised that all the noises had died down in her head.

She stared at him, wordlessly, watching as his mouth spoke words she couldn't hear. What was he saying? What was Oikawa-san saying to her? Why did his eyes look like he was in pain?

"Promise me Aien?"

What did he want her to promise him? Why was he kneeling on the ground?

Bits of the words he spoke drifted into her mind, but none of them made any sense.

He pulled a brown book from his bag and handed it to her, "Consider this my way of apologizing."

She stared blankly at him before he grabbed her hand, pulling her closer, "I will be back before you know it."

She felt the tears build up again until he was a blur, She didn't want him to leave. It never ended well when people left her...

"Don't leave me ..." Her voice was brittle.

But, the boy was already gone, the only thing she had was the brown book he had shoved in her hands.

"Don't leave me..." She repeated weakly.

* * *

"Don't leave me...."

"AIEN!"

Aien rubbed her eyes, jerking slightly at the loud voice.

Misaki was busy trying to plug up a newer hole that had opened up on the roof of the attic they had been lounging in.

"Gal, you'll have to get out of here before you fall sick." She urged, moving the buckets to catch the water before it destroyed the flooring.

Aien blinked slowly, her head felt heavy but her dreams had long evaporated and she wondered what she'd dreamt about. She pulled the copy of O'Henry's last leaf closer to her chest and began to leave the room in a daze.

_Why did that feel like such a long and neverending dream?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi y'all,
> 
> I have rushed to get this chapter out but there's a small chance I will edit it out tomorrow because I might want to add a little more to the story.
> 
> I'm sorry, balancing my life at this point is really an Olympic game lols
> 
> Lysm  
> Hazelll


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